Cartier’s latest men’s collection, the wildly popular Drive de Cartier, welcomes two new models for the dapper gentleman.
A watch, like one’s apparel, car and taste in literature, can be a re ection of one’s personality. Cartier’s numerous and diverse watch collections have always managed to appeal to a wide spectrum of temperaments, but it’s done so with such artistry that it’s hard to imagine that another men’s watch could t into its stable of beautiful tickers. But along came the Drive de Cartier, providing men of re nement and style another option they never knew they needed, but will covet nonetheless.
The Drive de Cartier made its debut at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) watch fair last year, with a look inspired by vintage automobiles and marketed as the timepiece for independent gents with a keen sense for fashion and a love for authenticity.
The new range, which was showcased at last year’s Pitti Uomo menswear trade event in Florence, possesses all these qualities, with a brand new case shape to suit any wrist and pleasing design to suit any occasion, and is equipped with in-house movements.
Its cushion-shaped case is slightly rounded, the guilloche on the dial is reminiscent of old radiator grilles and the crown is modelled after bolts. The rst three editions included a base steel model with small seconds and date; steel and pink gold versions with a second time zone and day/ night indicator; and a ying tourbillon which
bears the Geneva Seal. All of them perfectly executed in a 40mm by 41mm case. Now there’s more.
Launched at this year’s SIHH are the Drive de Cartier Moon Phases and Drive de Cartier Extra- Flat.
The former, as its name suggests, includes the astronomical complication at six o’clock and need be adjusted only once every 125 years. The dial elements remain the same, dressed with Cartier’s signatures: guilloche, blued-steel hands and Roman numerals. The crown is topped with a small sapphire, as is the case with the Extra- Flat. It is powered by the new automatic 1904LU MC calibre, which operates at 4Hz and comes with a power reserve of 48 hours.
The Drive de Cartier Extra- Flat only has an hour and minute hand, but it’s all about celebrating what it doesn’t have — namely, weight. Drive de Cartier watches already have a fairly slender pro le, but the Extra- Flat measures just 6.6mm, more than 40 per cent slimmer than the original 2016 models, and is also slightly smaller, thanks to a 38mm by 39mm case. While it sports the same Roman numerals and blued hands, the silvered dial switches out guilloche for a sunray satin nish.
It is also water resistant to a depth of 30m. The 430 MC movement is a manually wound one, which is understandable, given how a winding rotor might add millimetres to the overall thickness of the watch. The 3Hz movement provides a 40-hour power reserve. A brown alligator strap accompanies the 18K pink gold model, though the 200-piece limited edition white gold version comes with a grey alligator strap.
The Parisian maison is so good at elegance that one could wear, say, a Calibre de Cartier Diver to a formal affair and still ooze sophistication. But the Drive de Cartier puts classic dress watches for men rmly in the spotlight — a move that both serious collectors and casual appreciators can well appreciate.