Symbiosis of traditions and innovations – Style – Kommersant

Thanks to the participation of the FHH (Foundation de la Haute Horlogerie), the executive editor of Kommersant Style visited the Watches & Wonders 2023 exhibition held in Geneva. The first review of the planned series of publications is dedicated to the most sophisticated exhibitor both in terms of watchmaking and jewelry – the house of Cartier.

For him

Among the men’s premieres of this year, I’ll tell you about two. Actively promoted in recent years, the Santos de Cartier collection has replenished with an automatic skeleton Santos-Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor. Skeletonization, that is, the “exposing” of the clock mechanism, which not only remains visible due to the absence of a traditional dial, but also visually “lightens” as much as possible, has long been one of the most famous aesthetic techniques at home. Previously, such movements had exclusively manual winding, since the massive self-winding rotor partially blocked the view and did not allow to achieve the feeling of delicacy, which is expected from skeletons. The first sign of “automation” of Cartier skeletons was the in-house caliber 9621 MC of 2016, equipped with a skeletonized centrally located rotor in the form of a semicircular rim (it was inserted into the watches of the now defunct Cle de Cartier collection). In 2021, an automatic caliber 9624 MC of a similar design debuted in Pasha de Cartier watches, and this year, the 212-part caliber 9629 MC, developed over two years, with a microrotor, which not only occupies a smaller area than a traditional rotor, but also gives a skeleton additional attraction.

The rotor is made in the shape of a 1907 Demoiselle airplane by one of the pioneers of aviation, Alberto Santos-Dumont, after whom the watch collection is named. Placed between the 7 and 8 o’clock marks, the micro-rotor – a natural airplane with wings – is visually balanced by a winding barrel located diagonally from it, providing a 44-hour power reserve. It is interesting that the bridges of the movement are not made in the form of Roman numerals traditional for Cartier skeletons, but in a more modern minimalist style, however, with a partial lacquer finish. The Santos-Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor will be available in small cases measuring 31mm in diameter and 8mm thick in three versions: stainless steel, rose gold and a limited edition of 150 pieces in yellow gold with a blue lacquer finish (lacquer finish is another aesthetic code specific to the watch Houses).

The second novelty belongs to the Cartier Prive limited collection, which is extremely high in the corporate hierarchy. This is Tank Normale, a representative of a large family of “tanks”. Here, too, there were some skeletons (50 each in platinum and yellow gold cases, plus 20 high-jeweled versions in platinum with diamonds), but my attention was drawn to the platinum and yellow gold versions with solid dials, equipped with 7-link bracelets made of the same metals (100 copies in each case).

Bracelets are a bit of a nonsense for the refined Cartier Prive collection, which previously reproduced historical Cartier masterpieces on leather straps (they also exist – twice as many as models on bracelets). Apparently, the demands of customers, insistently seeking watches on the still fashionable metal bracelets, reached the ears of the authorities. When trying on, the bracelets turned out to be surprisingly soft and flexible (the rich jewelry experience at home affects), which gave me reason to consider this novelty the best Cartier men’s premiere of 2023. The compact cases measuring 32.6 x 25.7 mm and only 6.85 mm thick house ultra-thin hand-wound movements with a “childish” 38-hour power reserve. These watches are loved not for technical, but for aesthetic features. However, this “profound” conclusion applies to almost all Cartier men’s watches.

For her

In the segment of women’s watches, the main revelation for me was the updated Baignoire mini-models (the history of this collection, for a moment, totals 111 years). Little ones are nothing at all: 25.3×18.8 mm, 6.82 mm thick, with quartz movements – what is there to talk about here? The brand has slightly enlarged the oval bezel, which softly and unobtrusively hugs the classic dial of the same shape.

A simple and, at first glance, unsophisticated solid-cast bracelet is very ergonomic and gives an inexpensive (by Cartier standards, of course) watch the appearance of a high-class piece of jewelry. On the hand, they feel weighty, since Cartier does not save on gold yet. We need this kind of hockey, especially since potential owners will have a choice of yellow (my favorite), rose or white gold. The latter are available only with a full pave diamond finish with a total weight of 5 carats, which takes the model beyond the dreams of middle-class customers.

If finances allow you to significantly raise the bar, then you can look at the new product with a slightly digital name Clash [Un]limited. Its main “feature” is the use of violet (!) gold-colored beads in the bracelet, which was specially designed by order of the house. The look of the watch is inspired by the legacy of Jeanne Toussaint, who was Cartier’s jewelry designer from 1933 to 1970. Back in the 30s, she tried to combine the aesthetics of jewelry with ball bearings, and the new watch fully meets this challenge.

From the 16-sided sapphire crystal on the dial to the lavish use of stones (diamonds and, depending on the version, onyx, black spinel, obsidian, chrysoprase, tsavorite, as well as coral), this is an intricate high jewelery bracelet centered on a quartz watch. The base materials for the cases are yellow, rose or white gold, the release is limited, but without prior announcement of the circulation.

For them

In past years, the story of home premieres would probably have started with this novelty, which belongs to the regular collection, but now its name, Tank Americaine, contradicts the current military and political realities. However, I must report to patriotic readers that Cartier also has a “Chinese tank”, the Tank Chinoise, in its arsenal, thoroughly updated last year, which, of course, is the latest marketing trick: in 1917, when Louis Cartier developed the rectangular watch case Tank , Chinese tanks did not exist.

Likewise, the Tank Americaine, first released in 1989, borrowed the comfortably curved wrist case from the classic Tank Cintree. This year, this updated family came out in three sizes: mini (28×15.2 mm), small (35.4×19.4 mm) and large (44.4×24.4 mm). The first two, related to women’s, are equipped with quartz movements, the third, men’s – “automatic”. Steel, pink and white gold are used as materials for the cases (the latter is available only in a high-jewelry mini version with pavé diamonds). Mini and small models in pink gold can also be accompanied by brankards (vertical side elements of the case) with diamonds and have versions with gold 3-link bracelets, which, in my purely civilian opinion, befit any tank.

In general, the brand new Tank Americaines greatly outweigh the rather old Abrams M1 on my personal scale of values. What do you want.

Yuri Khnychkin