Flight of the Hummingbird

Some watches have distinctive features that showcase the ingenuity behind their movement. Cartier’s Panthères et Colibri has a unique way of telling its power reserve using a panther, her cub and a hummingbird. Initially, we only see the panther and the bird, but when the windingcrown is pressed, a panther cub springs forth and chases the hummingbird. How far the bird flies indicate how close it is to the time the watch needs to be rewound. This ingenious contraption is then packaged in a mightily refined timepiece. The panther motif alone is inlaid with 270 Brilliant-cut diamonds and a single pear-shaped stone for its eye while black lacquer stands for its spots. Then there’s the intricate grass motif made using white gold, the halo of diamonds on the bezel, the cub and, of course, the hummingbird. Describing the Panthères et Colibri as a work of art would be an incredible understatement.