The Allure of Cartier

The feminine feline, the panther is a true symbol of the House of Cartier. The signature animal has become an icon – forever entwined with the brand’s legacy. This month, “Day and Night” magazine take a look at the predatory, elegant and sensual panther inspired timepieces and  array of fine jewellery that doubles as timepieces by the renowned luxury Maison, Cartier

Reves de Pantheres
The breath-taking Reves de Pantheres timepiece is at once diurnal and nocturnal; a day and night movement energises the functions of the watch that could only belong to the great tradition of the mega-Maison’s complications. Driven by the self-winding calibre 9916 MC, the heart of this watch beats at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, where the energy produced drives the Moonphase function featured on the dial, casting an alternating astral display on the feline pack of panthers that dominate the exterior. Gazing into the distance, the pack is captured with their backs in full view, allowing their strong vertebra to be detailed with a black lacquer that marks their enchanting presence.

Exploding with pavé-set diamonds, this celestial watch comes in a rhodium-finished 42mm case that is crafted from 18-carat white gold and measures 11.75mm in thickness, while brilliant-cut diamonds lead the way to a glorious beaded crown, set with a single brilliant-cut diamond. A blued steel sword-shaped hand hovers above the dial which sparkles in rhodium-finish 18-carat white gold and is lavishly set with brilliant-cut diamonds. The Rêves de Panthères is water resistant to a depth of 30 metres and has a self-winding mechanical 9916 MC movement that consists of 240 parts and 36 jewels and has a steady power reserve is approximately 48 hours.

Ronde Louis Cartier Filigree
Cartier adapted the art of filigree into the beautiful Ronde Louis Cartier Filigree timepiece using a precious selection of jewellery materials such as gold, platinum and diamonds. Powered by a mechanical manual winding 430 MC calibre, the watch is a limited edition of just 20 watches. The 42mm 18-carat yellow gold case is amply adorned with brilliant-cut diamonds that stretch to an elegant beaded crown, opulently set with a brilliant-cut diamond. Beautiful 18-carat yellow gold apple-shaped hands hover over a velvet blue shaded dial, where to the left is an intricate lacework of 18-carat yellow gold, specked with brilliant-cut diamonds that reveals the panthers motif that has been carefully filigreed with 22-carat yellow gold and 950/1000 platinum, with bespoke cut-to-measure emeralds for the eyes.

PantherTortue Stone Mosaic
This large Tortue model is fitted with a mechanical movement with a 430 MC manual winding calibre that is water resistant to a depth of 30 metres. Limited to just 30 individually numbered timepieces, the eye-catching dial adds another dimension to the panther inspired novelties from the House of Cartier. Crafted in 18-carat pink gold, the case measures 10.10mm in thickness and is set with sparkling brilliant-cut diamonds that pave the way to an eight-sided crown set with an impressive brilliant-cut diamond. Absent of hour markers, the apple-shaped hands, crafted in blued steel, float over the 18-carat pink gold dial that is emblazoned with a panther stone mosaic motif with onyx mosaic spots and an onyx nose, with green stone mosaic for the eyes. A black alligator skin strap supports a folding buckle in 18-carat pink gold, completes the timepiece.

Rotonde de Cartier – Damascened Panther
Energised by a mechanical movement with a 9601 MC manual winding calibre, the Damascened Panther timepiece is a limited edition of 50 numbered timepieces that boasts an astounding power reserve of 72 hours. The case is crafted from 18-carat pink gold that supports a beaded crown set with a sapphire cabochon. Measuring 42mm in diameter, the case has a thickness of 11.16mm and houses a bold animal inspired dial that is absent of hour indexes. Apple-shaped hands in gilded steel float over the 18-carat white gold dial that is damascened with a 22-carat yellow, pink and white gold panther motif that features black lacquer spots and nose. The daring timepiece is finished with a brown alligator skin strap that is completed with a folding buckle in 18-carat pink gold and is water resistant to a depth of 30 metres.

Aten High Jewellery Secret Watch
The Aten High Jewellery Secret Watch pays homage to the sheer beauty of nature and is one of Cartier’s most enchanting timepieces. This unique piece is powered by a quartz movement and is created in rhodium-finish 18-carat white gold which proudly boasts a 51.13-carat opal – a silky cabochon shot through with flashes of blue and green.  Cartier crowns this mysterious and fascinating stone with a corolla of diamonds to transform it into a secret watch using 470 brilliant-cut diamonds and 50 baguette-cut diamonds that engulf a miniature dial which is only revealed via a sliding mechanism. The cuff bracelet is made entirely of invisibly jointed links that hugs the wrist like a ribbon and took over 1,000 hours of manual labour to create. 

Panthere Imperiale High Jewellery Watch
The panther icon appears repeatedly in the line of Cartier timepieces – ever-changing and unpredictable, the attraction of the big cat is positively overwhelming. The Panthere Imperiale brings to life a two-dimensional cuff watch with a perfect diamond paving that is set with 278 brilliant-cut light orange diamonds totalling 3.74 carats that are set alongside 255 brilliant-cut orange diamonds totalling 3.15 carats, 211 brilliant-cut light yellow diamonds totalling 2.49 carats, 69 brilliant-cut brown diamonds totalling 0.71 carats and 868 brilliant-cut diamonds totalling 12.77 carats.  220 onyx motifs totalling 26.01 carats are also used to create the image of the feline animal that is Cartier’s signature. Energised by a 101 MC manual winding mechanical movement, the watch has a miniature silvered translucent lacquered sunray effect dial that displays a square-shaped diamond marker at 12 o’clock and rhodium-finish steel sword-shaped hands.

Purple High Jewellery Secret Watch
The Purple High Jewellery Secret Watch is a unique piece that features 4 cabochon-cut amethysts totalling 8.50 carats that guard a prominent cushion-shaped amethyst that weighs a colossal 62.84 carats. Powered by a quartz movement, the rhodium-finish 18K white gold case and bracelet boasts an array of diamonds such as; two lozenge-shaped diamonds totalling 0.24 carats, two square-shaped diamonds totalling 0.08 carats and 1080 brilliant-cut diamonds totalling 9.06 carats. A silvered translucent lacquered sunray effect dial is the base for a square-shaped diamond hour marker positioned at 12 o’clock and rhodium-finish 18K white gold sword-shaped hands that journey around the bare dial. The secret of this jewellery piece lies hidden under a hood of sparkling diamonds that opens to reveal a small dial that only the wearer is aware of should they need to check the time discreetly.