It’s the dawn of a new time with the novelties revealed at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2019

Novelties ushering in the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2019

Specially curated for collectors and connoisseurs, Cartier Privé celebrates the different shapes of men’s watches through the maison’s iconic models. This year, Cartier shines the spotlight on one of its oldest wristwatch designs, the Tonneau watch. Revealed in 1906, after the Santos in 1904, the watch was considered an oddity, but its shape ‒ on the cusp between a rectangle and an oval ‒ was both strong and pure. Cartier coated it in platinum to emphasise its avant-garde aesthetics in an era when many watches were made of gold. This year, Cartier celebrates this legendary watch shape with a redesigned twohand, time-only model and a skeleton dual time zone model.

Available in platinum or pink gold, the first version stays true to the original 1906 model, featuring Roman numerals, a rail-track, a cabochon on the winding crown and leather strap, all of which have been reworked to fulfil modern-day demands, such as waterresistance. The bezel is formed from one block, with its contours and lugs seemingly melting into the watchcase. Polished, rhodiumplated numerals stand out against the dial background ‒ champagnecoloured on the pink gold version, silvered on the platinum model. Issued as a limited edition of 100 pieces, all models are fitted with the new 1917 MC manufacture calibre.

With the new Tonneau Skeleton Dual Time Zone watch, Cartier pays tribute to the Tonneau XL dual time zone model in the CPCP collection, which initially had two separate mechanisms for the home time and the second time zone. Two complex feats were required in order to remain true to the original shape. Firstly, all the wheels of the gear train had to be aligned between 12 and 6 o’clock. Then the shape of the movement underwent modification, being made to curve so it fits within the curved contours of the Tonneau watch case. Lastly, in the pursuit of aesthetics, the two time zones were linked to create an impressive display combining the useful with the pleasurable: the time is easy to read on the skeleton bridges, and the second time zone is set by pressing on the crown at 4 o’clock and by one-hour jumps.

Cartier adds its own watchmaking signature by skeletonising the movement, bringing lightness and nobility to a traditional complication. The pink gold and platinum versions come in a limited, numbered series of 100 pieces, while 20 numbered pieces are available in the baguettecut diamond-set platinum series.