A watch I used to be trying ahead to seeing hands-on after masking its debut right here is the Cartier Privé Tortue Monopoussoir Chronograph. It’s an attractive watch as a result of it seems to be to be a correct, ageless, evergreen Cartier — the Tortue has been round for over a century, since 1912, to be precise — and since it’s a gown watch that might doubtlessly impress with its motion, performance, and flexibility. It might be a every day wearer. However then, its Privéness comes into the image, and all that goes out the window.
The Cartier Privé, or Assortment Privée Cartier Paris (CPCP) for a good stuffier title, is the model’s particular label slapped on watches it has chosen to revive in restricted portions from its largely unequalled number of eternal collections and designs. The irritating factor in regards to the Cartier Privé assortment is that almost all years it tends to supply two forms of watches: Extremely complicated, onerous to supply, and really divisive-looking items that, one might argue, are rightfully restricted of their availability after which are quickly forgotten by everybody aside from the smallest fractions of devoted collectors. The opposite kind of watch, usually launched within the Privé assortment, nonetheless, is the kind that could be a very sturdy illustration of a lot that may be nice in a Cartier watch — easy model, lovely proportions, barely and charmingly compounded performance. The irritating bit is that as a result of these additionally obtain the Privé label are extremely restricted of their manufacturing, and elevated in value, versus being a extra competitively priced common manufacturing mannequin that strengthened the number of Cartier globally.
You may need guessed by now that the Cartier Privé Tortue Monopoussoir Chronograph watch, I believe, belongs to that latter group of Privé watches. Cartier fails to ship any type of cheap argument to assist the rarity and value of those watches — it’s mainly simply “it’s restricted as a result of we name it a Privé, and it’s known as Privé as a result of it’s restricted.” A better have a look at the watch itself additionally reveals a frankly unbelievable watch, but additionally one with out something to it that would seem to maintain it from being produced in increased portions, and at decrease costs.
Whereas the 34.8mm width of the Tortue Monopoussoir Chronograph would possibly lead you to consider it’s a small watch, its lug-to-lug measurement of 43.7mm means it has a comparatively giant footprint for its dressy-elegant style. Additionally it is relatively slender at 10.2mm thick, and though a pair further millimeters possible might have been engineered out of it, the Tortue case, bezel, and down-turned lugs work finest when not handled with a steamroller. In platinum, as seen right here, it has a stunning heft to it, too.
Nothing on this case design hints at a watch that was tough to make. Sure, the center case and the bezel are one single piece, however neither the general form nor its surfaces and floor remedies are anyplace near what the competitors can do with platinum — and particularly 18k gold, by which the Tortue Monopusher Chronograph can be out there. That is to say that on the surface there actually isn’t a lot to recommend that this watch couldn’t be a regular-production Cartier in metal and treasured metals.
The dial seems to be busy, however not overly so, with a number of concentric circles, railroad tracks, and a bevy of Arabic and Roman numerals. Not one of the floor remedies, hour markers, palms, or colours are notably particular — we’ve got seen all of those on Cartier watches supplied at a tenth of this value, such because the Ronde Croisiere. For practically $60,000, you wouldn’t be loopy to anticipate some guilloché or a strong gold or platinum dial. This can be a fundamental dial for $59,000, and even for a tenth of that.
I’ve mentioned this earlier than and also you in all probability knew this anyway: We watch fanatics are programmed to lust after a hand-wound chronograph with the complication fitted to the caseback aspect. The Cartier Privé Tortue Monopoussoir Chronograph watch reveals such a covetable caliber by way of a sapphire crystal caseback, and the impact is as anticipated — it’s what horological desires are fabricated from.
A better look reveals plenty of skinny beveling and a few refined brushed surfaces, however the general impact continues to be relatively industrial and dated-looking. Most of the arms, cams, and bridges do have skinny hand-refined edges, which isn’t one thing big-brand watchmakers offers you on this quantity at significantly cheaper price factors, however there isn’t a lot happening right here both that might not be sacrificed in pursuit of a cheaper price level and an elevated manufacturing run.
Whereas its format is fascinating, and Cartier does deserve credit score for making a formed motion (one which follows the weird form of the case, versus utilizing a spherical motion), the ending and the finer particulars aren’t precisely the kind that you simply simply need to spend hours . Final, and I hate to be banging on about this, at this value level, a free-sprung steadiness wheel can be a lot most popular to the regulating pin setup that Cartier at present affords on this Calibre 1928 MC.
Developed with Le Cercle des Horlogers, the Cartier Calibre 1928 MC depends on a pusher built-in into the crown to start out, cease, and reset its chronograph perform. The crown itself is elaborately crafted from platinum with 8 sides and a ruby cabochon. Funnily sufficient, the cabochon is so small and rounded that it’s genuinely disagreeable to use stress to when working the chronograph. Energy reserve is an unremarkable 44 hours and the working frequency is 3.5Hz.
On the wrist, the Cartier Privé Tortue Monopoussoir Chronograph is a beautiful watch. The Tortue Monopoussoir has been with us for the reason that Twenties, and though it has turn out to be extra voluptuous in that point, it has saved each little bit of its class and magnificence. Its form is tense, but natural, severe, but approachable.
At a time when everybody, and we do imply everybody, is busy producing cumbersome built-in bracelet chronographs, Cartier might have had a second within the limelight by bringing model to what has turn out to be an ungainly style of watches. The Tortue might have been the savior of the $15,000 (give or take a number of grand) chronograph, and Cartier might have spearheaded the motion away from try-hard chronographs which are as heavy on the eyes as they’re on the wrist. As a substitute, it created an costly and needlessly restricted chronograph for the highest 0.1% — apparently betting on them not looking for that a lot worth, both.
The Cartier Privé Tortue Monopoussoir is priced at $59,000 USD in platinum (Ref. WHTO0008) and $51,000 USD in yellow gold (Ref. WHTO0007), each restricted to 200 items. You may study extra on the model’s web site.
