CARTIER @ Panthères et Colibri Watch

 With a deftly  disguised technical virtuosity, Cartier invents a universe in which time is measured as a humming-bird flies away or a panther becomes the guardian of mysterious time. Since its first appearance on a ladies’ wristwatch in 1914, the panther has reigned supreme at Cartier. The emblem of a confident femininity freed from every convention, it has given an added air of sophisticated elegance to everything it touches. With the Panthères et Colibri watch and the Panthère Mystérieuse watch, Cartier’s iconic animal now makes its mark on the world of ladies’ watch complications. Since 2014, Cartier has been committed to the mission of preserving, sharing and enhancing rare skills and original technical initiatives. This bold challenge was born from the desire to reinvent, share and perpetuate these skills. An initiative has been set in motion, which takes form this year in sharing a technique specially created by Cartier: the granulation of enamel, which is now added to Cartier’s collection of artistic crafts.

At Cartier the panther is omnipresent, whether in physical form or in spirit. Figurative or abstract, it injects its femininity into the creations on which it confers its refined silhouette. On the dial of the Panthères et Colibri watch, a panther lies resting with a hummingbird depicted alongside. The spectacle is truly charming until the winding-crown is pressed and a baby panther escapes its mother’s paws to chase after the golden-winged bird! The mechanism thus activated is in fact that of the power reserve. In this new calibre 9915 MC movement, the time remaining until the watch needs rewinding is indicated by the breadth of the bird’s flight. The aesthetic is exquisite and the decoration refined: the black diamond-studded background of the dial features an intricate wild grass motif. The fully gemset bezel adds a contrasting halo of light. The profile of the feline stands out by its volume, with its diamondset coat and black lacquer spots.