Fergus Nash
Editor's Note: Watches & Wonders means a bombardment of fresh releases, so we're offering a quick overview of each brand's new novelties touching on each new reference or collection and their headlining points. Stay tuned throughout the week for deeper coverage, some of which will include live pics and our hands-on perspective. But for now let's run through each of the new watches ?here are the Cartier novelties of Watches & Wonders 2022.Tank MustThe reintroduction of the Tank Must series from Cartier won adoration from pretty much every corner of the watch world, bringing an artful and simplistic approach to blue, red and green coloured dials that was relatively affordable in the realm of luxury dress watches. Now going back to basics, the Tank Must has been made available in an abyssal, brooding black lacquer dial across three different references. The first two are the standard 22mm “small” and 25.5mm “large” sizes in a stainless-steel case with a Cartier quartz movement, and strapped with black alligator leather.The third reference is housed in 18k yellow gold with the gilt hands and printed logo to match. It uses Cartier's hand-winding 1917 MC calibre to stay higher up the luxury ladder than the high-autonomy quartz models, even though their eight-year battery life is rather impressive. The only negative about this addition to Cartier's mainstream production is that it may upset a handful of customers who had bought the 50-piece limited edition run of black-dialled Tank Musts last year, which were only available from their Geneva boutique reopening.Case MaterialStainless Steel / 18k Yellow GoldCase Dimensions22mm x 29.5mm x 6.6 mm / 25.5mm x 33.7mm x 6.6mmWater-Resistance300mDialBlack LacquerStrapsBlack Alligator LeatherMovementCartier Quartz / 1917 MCPower Reserve8 Years / 38 hoursComplicationsHours, minutesPrice2,480 (CRWSTA0071)2,600 (CRWSTA0072)10,940 (CRWGTA0091)Tank Louis CartierWhen Cartier showed that their affordable range of Tank Must watches was going to be using the same case shape as the much loftier Tank Louis Cartier range, there was a bit of an attitude from collectors wondering what it was that made the expensive versions so special. Well, the new versions of the Tank Louis Cartier are here to blow the Musts back out of the water, with some gorgeously refined and imaginative dials.The Tank Louis Cartier brings some detail back into the dials with a satisfyingly simple geometric pattern that segments the dial into different shades of either wine red or anthracite grey, creating a dazzlingly three-dimensional effect as the watch moves through light. The Roman numerals at the quarters aren't there to help tell the time, but merely to honour the watch's classical roots since its inception over a century ago. Both models are in 18k gold cases and follow the “large” dimensions of 25.5mm wide and 33.7mm long, as well as the 6.6mm thickness using the Cartier 1917 MC calibre.Case Material18k Yellow / Rose GoldCase Dimensions25.5mm x 33.7mm x 6.6mmWater-Resistance300mDialRed Lacquer / Galvanised GreyStrapsRed / Grey Alligator LeatherMovement1917 MCPower Reserve38 hoursComplicationsHours, minutesPrice11,170Masse MysterieuseIt wouldn't be a year of Cartier releases without something out of the box, but the new Cartier Masse Mysterieuse is far beyond expectations for the Parisian fashion house. Watchmaking has had a long-running tradition of presenting what seems like magic on a watch dial, whether it be from floating hands or minuscule automatons, but Cartier have now managed to contain an entire watch movement within it's own automatic winding rotor. To be completely honest, I haven't yet figured out how the crown even operates the hands let alone how something this complicated can be put together.The calibre 9801 MC is a result of eight years of research, and also has the same effect as a tourbillon complication by reducing the effects of gravity on the timekeeping. The case is 43.5mm in diameter and is constructed out of 95% pure platinum, as demarcated by the ruby cabochon in the crown as opposed to the sapphire used with their steel models. It's only available in a limited run of 30 pieces, but I am sure that we'll see the 9801 MC and variants return in future years.Case MaterialPlatinumCase Dimensions43.5mm x 12.64mmDialSkeletonisedStrapsBlack Alligator LeatherMovement9801 MCPower Reserve42 hoursComplicationsHours, minutesPrice250,000Pasha De Cartier GrilleRumours of the grille-case returning to the Pasha De Cartier range have been circling and shot down for quite a while now, with some fans believing that the strange look was far too much of a 1980s experimental remnant to find its way into a modernised and glamorised Pasha line. However, Cartier have proven yet again that there is nothing too esoteric for their designs and that strangeness often equals attraction. The grille can be removed for a cleaner look or left on as intended, however there's a certain irony in the 18k gold “protective” grille being much easier to scratch than the sapphire crystal beneath it. You can also now buy charms that attach to the canteen crown, adding another layer of jewellery to the watch.The yellow gold version is available in the 41mm size, with 35mm and 30mm sizes also available in rose gold with embedded diamonds. As much as the excitement is focused on the grille, my eye was also drawn to Cartier's press material seemingly admitting that the diving helmet-esque Pasha was only named after Pasha El Glaoui of Marrakesh in the 1980s, and that the design was based upon a waterproof watch from 1943 that remains in Cartier's secret collection.Case Material18k Yellow / Rose GoldCase Dimensions41mm x 9.55mmDialWhite GuillocheStrapsInterchangable Alligator LeatherMovement1847 MC / Quartz for 30mm modelPower Reserve42 hoursComplicationsHours, minutes, seconds, datePrice16,100 (CRWGPA0019)25,400 (CRWJPA0020)18,700 (CRWJPA0021)Pasha De Cartier with ComplicationsExcluding the three new Pasha Grille references, there are another six Pasha de Cartier watches across a wide variety of themes. The first two are simply heralding a new dial colour for the 41mm steel time-only and chronograph models, now presenting in a sombre anthracite grey that leans towards a clinical modernism. The next two models introduce the new calibre 1904-LU MC that brings a gorgeous jumbo moonphase display at 6 o'clock, available in a 41mm case of either steel or 18k rose gold.Moving further into the haute-horology end of the spectrum is the Pasha de Cartier in rose gold that features a tourbillon in a gorgeous cream and gold palette, and a skeletonised dial version in either blackened ADLC steel or white gold set with baguette-cut diamonds. It's wild to think of how far the Pasha range has expanded since its return, given the odd looks made many think that it would fade out as fast as it came back, but I believe them to be some of the coolest watches available today.Case Material18k Yellow / Rose GoldCase Dimensions41mm x 9.55mm / 11.97mm for the chronograph / 10.45mm for the tourbillon and skeleton movementsDialAnthracite / Silver / Cream / SkeletonisedStrapsInterchangable Alligator Leather and BraceletMovement1847 MC / 1904-CH MC / 1904-LU MC / 9624 MCPower Reserve42 / 48 / 50 hoursComplicationsHours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph, moonphase, tourbillonPrice8,450 (CRWSPA0027)6,000 (CRWSPA0026)17,400 (CRWGPA0026)68,500 (CRWHPA0010)23,500 (CRWHPA0017)Cartier Prive Tank ChinoiseCariter's Prive line can be thought of like an annual event, showcasing their watchmaking prowess through the lens of a specific watch and a unique theme, then released in extremely limited quantities. This year, the 100th anniversary of the Tank Chinoise is being celebrated through the release of six references with varying degrees of complexity. The Chinoise gets its name from the inspiration of Chinese architecture and cultural influences, the former being particularly appropriate to marry with the rectangular-cased watch.The separation between the horizontal and vertical blocks is evocative of Chinese temples and porticos, and these aspects of the case are best appreciated on the first three references that carry traditional gold or silver Tank dials and use the calibre 430 MC movement. The polished horizontal and brushed vertical aspects of the case give it a lot more depth than the typical unified shape, and lets you appreciate the lustre of the gold or platinum to the maximum.If you're interested in a more extravagant expression of traditional Chinese design, the last three models feature a fully skeletonised dial thanks to the calibre 9627 MC. More colourful lacquer is used to increase the vibrancy of the geometric dial patterns, with black and red featuring on the yellow gold reference and red and blue adorning the platinum version.Case Material18k Yellow / Rose Gold / PlatinumCase Dimensions29.2mm x 39.5mm x 6.09mm / 7.7mmDialGold Sunburst / Silver Sunburst / Skeletonised with Lacquered PatternsStrapsBlack / Grey /Blue Alligator LeatherMovement430 MC / 9627 MCPower Reserve38 hoursComplicationsHours, minutesPrice80,000 (CRHPI01507)61,000 (CRWHTA0015)56,000 (CRWHTA0016)27,300 (CRWGTA0074)24,200 (CRWGTA0075 and CRWGTA0088)Coussin De CartierThe Coussin De Cartier range may be small, quartz, and covered in diamonds, but by no means does it play into the trope of being a lazily designed women's watch. Instead of taking an established design and tweaking it towards stereotypical femininity, the Coussin is designed from the ground up to support the flagrant flair of a bejewelled wristwatch in a variety of colours and formats.Fundamentally, the case of a Coussin De Cartier is a softened square that has been set with a spiralling cascade of diamonds. The most basic model is the 27mm model with 165 diamonds in a white or rose gold case, proceeded by the 30mm model with 176 diamonds. The sunburst silver dial is refined and almost mirror-like in its shine.Where Cartier's wild side gets unleashed is with the two-tone versions, especially the 30mm yellow gold case with blue and green gemstones that gives off some jungle reptilian vibes. The black and white version is slightly more tame yet still a bold impression, which is why it's available in both the 30mm and 27mm versions. Each of these models is limited to 50 pieces.The two final references of the Coussin De Cartier are fairly unrecognisable from the others, and for good reason. Not only is the case thickened up and stretched vertically, but each precious stone on the case is actually set into an individual segment of white gold that allows the entire case to morph and articulate over the wrist like a bracelet. That alone would be impressive, however if the monochrome version isn't exciting enough then the purple and green gradient version will surely tick all of your strange-yet-beautiful boxes.Case Material18k Yellow / White / Rose GoldCase Dimensions30.44mm x 33.78mm x 7.08mm / 27.13mm x 27.66mm x 7.08mm / 31.9mm x 39.3mm x 13.6mmDialSilver Sunburst, Diamond SetStrapsCalf LeatherMovementCartier QuartzPower Reserve8 YearsComplicationsHours, minutesPrice24,000 (CRWJCS0002)28,000 (CRWJCS0003)22,300 (CRWJCS0004)26,000 (CRWJCS0005)35,000 (CRWJCS0006)45,000 (CRWJCS0007)50,000 (CRWJCS0009)60,000 (CRWJCS0011)63,000 (CRWJCS0012)
30.03.22