Cartier Reflection de Cartier
The Magic Touch: Cartier’s Latest Releases are an Oasis of Calm at Watches and Wonders 2024
In a world where online articles are getting shorter, phone calls are nearly non-existent, and Instagram stories max out at 60 seconds, Cartier has chosen to take its time, which is a refreshing relief from the speed at which life is passing us by.
By Barbara Palumbo
Contributor
All roads lead to Cartier, at least, in my mind. But that is just what happens when Watches and Wonders. After all, while Palexpo is a beautiful space designed with soft, neutral tones that perfectly embodies so many of the brands under the Richemont group umbrella, none fit in quite as well as Cartier.
Every year, it’s the one appointment I look forward to the most, as it’s the one appointment that, for me, goes beyond the traditional 30-minute mark (in others’ defense, there are a lot of media members to see and a small amount of time in which to see them). But Cartier makes it a point to give their guests – be they journalist, influencer, collector, or retailer – the time needed to take in all the maison’s latest novelties.
Sitting down in the Cartier salon at Watches and Wonders is, well, special in a way. For one, you’ve made the cut to be invited in the first place. And secondly, there is usually Champagne. Good Champagne. Really, really good Champagne.
Sorry. Did I mention the Champagne? OH! Novelties. Right. Yes! Let us go the animalistic route first as that seems the most fitting.
Nature’s Novelties, In a Nutshell
Cartier introduced ten new Animal Jewelry novelties this year, thrilling those with a gemstone background as well as those not afraid to bend the rules of nature a little.
The expected releases were the newest panther-themed jewelry watches, but surprises came in the form of tiger, zebra, and crocodile releases. Specifically, three new animal jewelry watches were released with cases made up of oval-shaped curls surrounding a lozenge-shaped dial. The highlight of this trio is undoubtedly the white gold model that represents a mesmerizing encounter between a zebra and a crocodile.
The brand also released a white gold panther jewelry watch with an all-white diamond dial, case, and bracelet; a white gold crocodile-themed jewelry watch with a case, crocodile head, and bracelet set with emeralds and white round brilliant-cut diamonds; and a tiger jewelry watch with the tiger head, case, and bracelet set with black spinels, spessartite garnets, yellow and orange sapphires, and white diamonds.
The last of the animal novelties came in crocodile and panther themes, with the first three being the former and offered on either an all-diamond bracelet or an alligator or calfskin strap. Each of these depicts a crocodile surrounding the dial. Speaking of dials, these are embellished with some combination of diamonds and/or emeralds, sapphires, and mother-of-pearl, depending on the model.
The final panther-themed novelty is similar to the three crocodile watches just described, except this piece features a diamond-adorned panther lazing atop a case decorated with rhodolite garnets, spessartite garnets, onyx, and yellow and white brilliant-cut diamonds.
Reflecting on Time
The maison also introduced its latest Reflection de Cartier timepieces, which are equal parts jewelry and watch but in a different way than the watches already discussed in this article.
In fact, Marie-Laure Cérède – Cartier’s Jewelry and Watchmaking Creative Director – is quoted as saying, “Reflection is a veritable sculpture to wear on the wrist…Disruption is woven throughout: different sections interrupt the visual rhythm and flow, and a variety of angles and faces break up its roundness. It tempts disorientation by playing with reflections, playing with architecture, and continuing to defy categorization: neither a watch nor a jewel but an entirely new kind of Cartier creation.”
There are five new Reflection de Cartier models available. Two come in high-polished rose or yellow gold without diamond accents. The white gold models come in three variations: The first features only white snow-set brilliant-cut diamonds. The second features white diamonds, chrysoprase, obsidian, emeralds, and Paraiba tourmalines. And the third comes with white diamonds, opal, tiger’s eye, amethysts, and spessartite garnets.
Torque, Santos, and Santos-Dumont
What would a Watches and Wonders be without more to love in the Santos collection? The OG aviator watch is back with the introduction of the 200-piece limited edition Santos-Dumont Rewind watch, which features a platinum case, carnelian dial hands, and a mechanical movement with reversed manual winding (the calibre 320 MC) so that its apple-shaped hands move counterclockwise.
Then there is the latest Santos de Cartier Dual Time watch, which comes in a steel case with a sunray-finished anthracite gray dial, rhodium-finished sword-shaped luminescent hands, a seven-sided faceted crown, a counter showing a second adjustable time zone, and a self-winding movement.
Cartier also put forth five new editions of their Cartier Privé Tortue watches. Include among them are two Monopoussoir Chronograph pieces available in platinum or yellow gold cases, a limited-edition polished platinum time-only model, a diamond embellished platinum limited-edition time-only model, and a yellow gold time-only novelty, also in limited numbers.
As stated by Cyrille Vigneron, President and CEO of Cartier International: “Cartier is the watchmaker of shapes. The maison has always distinguished itself through the creation of unique forms, beginning with the design and crafting of silhouettes that fit instantly recognizable shapes.”
For more information, including pricing and availability, check out Cartier’s website.
(Photography by Pierre Vogel)
