Cartier’s Mysterious Movement Highlights First SIHH Releases

Cartier has unveiled two watches that will be part of its offerings for the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie Genève (SIHH), the annual luxury watch show to be held Jan. 15 – 19, 2018. The first releases by the luxury brand are variations of its iconic Mysterious movement, a part of Cartier fine watchmaking since 1912.

The first is the Rotonde de Cartier Skeleton Mysterious Double Tourbillon Watch. The Mysterious Double Tourbillon movement, first created at its La Chaux-de- Fonds manufacture in 2013, shows a tourbillon that appears to be suspended in mid-air with no connection to the rest of the movement.

As a double flying tourbillon, it completes a rotation in 60 seconds, while the tourbillon cage performs a second rotation in which each round takes 5 minutes. All of the components of the 45mm platinum case are hand-finished, the bridges chamfered, flanks drawn and screw heads polished. On the dial skeletonized bridges are in the shape of Roman numerals with the mysterious tourbillon encased in the transparency of the skeleton. A subdial at 12 o’clock indicates hours and minutes with blued steel sword-shaped hands. The beaded crown is set with a sapphire cabochon.

The watch is powered by the Caliber 9465MC manual-wound movement with a 52-hour power reserve. It is limited to 30 pieces.

The Rotonde de Cartier Mysterious Day & Night Watch combines two historic Cartier complications: the mysterious movement and the Day/Night indicator, both part of the luxury brand’s watchmaking heritage since 1912. However, it is first time Cartier has brought these two complications together. The sun moves from left to right by the mysterious movement, appearing to levitate on the top half of the dial, before handing over to the moon.

Within the 40mm 18k pink gold case is a stylized sun and moon that indicate the hours of the day and night. Retrograde minutes are displayed in the bottom half of the dial with a blued steel sword-shaped hand. This airborne reading of the time is magnified by the juxtaposition of the radiating guilloché and satin-brushed finish. The beaded crown is set with a sapphire cabochon.

The watch is powered by the Caliber 9982 MC manual-wound movement with a 48-hour power reserve.