A newcomer in the repertoire of Cartier artistic crafts, enamel granulation relies on a combined mastery of both the art of enamelling and the art of Etruscan granulation, a goldsmith’s technique dating back to the first half of the third millennium B.C. The Ballon Bleu de Cartier enamel granulation watch with panther motif has been entirely hand- made at the Cartier Maison des Métiers d’Art, inaugurated in 2014 in La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland.

For this creation, our master enamellers have drawn inspiration from the principles of granulation, which consist of creating minuscule beads of gold and then mounting them on a plaque. Following the same process, the enamel was first worked in pieces or in powder form, then stretched out into delicate threads which are chiselled off into fine flakes and heated by blowpipe, until they are also formed into beads one by one. The size of these beads depends on the original diameter of the enamel thread from which they have been made.

They are then assembled together in accordance with the motif concerned, the colour tone and desired volume. This technique is all the more delicate to carry out because the craftsman needs to take into account the details of the fusion temperature for each colour of enamel used. A very large number of firings are therefore required, sometimes involving over thirty operations, and with a clearly-defined order for placing the beads and enamelling. Nearly a month of work was required to complete this piece.

The result is utterly stupefying: a panther’s head that is strikingly lifelike in appearance and expression, in which Cartier reproduces the volume required, the depth of its gaze, the prickle of its whiskers and the smoothness of its coat.

This exceptional piece bears witness to the creative vitality of the Maison des Métiers d’Art and its ability to encourage collaboration between engravers, polishers, enamellers, jewellers, gem-setters and watchmakers to create a single spectacular piece.