Today, I received the Pre-Watches & Wonders 2021 preview from Cartier that I wanted to share with you immediately. It is all about precious diamond watches, that are all standing out for their elegance, mastery of design, and fiery stones.
«Because Cartier is above all a jeweller, Cartier watches, whether they are for men or women, blur the lines between these two founding professions of the Maison, allowing for the best of both worlds. This is why our creations transcend all categories. They are not just instruments for telling the time, nor are they simply jewellery. They are a third type of object with their own uniqueness. Cartier watches only resemble themselves.
The complexity of Cartier watchmaking is due to its duality. It is being able to express creative freedom while working under technical constraints. This intellectual challenge is exciting. And the challenge is all the greater when aesthetics take precedence over the rest. It means that we must master the technical side, making it feel like second nature so that emotion is able to emerge. This intuitive intelligence has always been evident in our designs. The creative process is the result of a controlled tension between the head and heart, an alchemy from which meaning and identity emanate.» – MARIE-LAURE CEREDE – Director of Design for Watchmaking at Cartier
REPTILIS WATCH
Like a precious brocade, the diamond-paved chevrons weave into each other, edged with princess-cut diamonds. Like precious scales, these mobile elements snake around the wrist like a flexible, hinged ribbon. At the centre, a rectangular dial accentuated by four diamond hour markers. Light bursts forth, reflects and resonates all over.
12.8 mm, thickness: 6.6 mm
18K rhodium-finish white gold
Case and bracelet set with
232 brilliant-cut diamonds (3.75 cts)
and 70 princess-cut diamonds (6.06 cts)
ROSARY WATCH
Geometric elegance with the richness of random paving all the way to the heart of the dial. Everything is treated graphically; the refined design is pushed to the extreme between round and square. The tempo of its forms is born from the rhythmic succession of curved discs, paved and set with a small black square, evoking an Art Deco influence. At 12 o’clock lies a singular hour marker, also a black square.
17 mm, thickness: 8.26 mm
18K rhodium-finish white gold
Case, dial, and bracelet set with
1191 brilliant-cut diamonds (5.57 cts)
PANTHÈRE SONGEUSE WATCH
Making its emblematic animal the guardian of its precious hours is the approach that Cartier has taken this year, presenting a new interpretation of the feline through three exceptional timepieces. Designers, artisans… when it comes to this incarnation, jewellery and watchmaking speak the same language. Since 1914 when it first appeared on a wristwatch in the form of a spotted coat of diamonds and onyx, now, more than ever, the feline is THE Cartier signature.
28.4 mm, thickness: 7.8 mm
18K rhodium-finish white gold
Case, dial and panther head set with
1116 brilliant-cut diamonds (4.57 cts)
Pear-cut emerald eyes (0.04 ct),
black onyx nose and sapphire spots (0.25 ct)
Bracelet set with
325 brilliant-cut diamonds (9.15 cts)
28.4 mm, thickness: 7.8 mm
18K rhodium-finish white gold
Case, buckle, dial and panther head set with
734 brilliant-cut diamonds (2.95 cts).
Case and dial with enamel
Pear-cut emerald eyes (0.04 ct),
black onyx nose and sapphire spots (0.38 ct)
Blue alligator leather strap
Numbered limited edition of 30 pieces
28.4 mm, thickness: 7.8 mm
18K rhodium-finish white gold
Case, dial, buckle and panther head set with
1039 brilliant-cut diamonds (4.67 cts)
Pear-cut emerald eyes (0.06 ct),
black onyx nose and black lacquer spots
Black alligator leather strap
All five watches have quartz movements.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Cartier
