Cartier

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Hands on with Ballon Bleu de Cartier Flying Tourbillon and extra-flat

The Ballon Bleu de Cartier : I (Magnus) always had a soft spot for this collection, not necessarily for myself, but for my 'better half'. Luckily, this affection is shared

"A watch from another world, formed of beautiful curves, as beautiful as a promise yet to come...
a meteorite fallen from the sky: the Ballon de Cartier watch.

A distillation of the Maison’s watchmaking style; born from a blend of the past and the future...
Launched to great acclaim, the watch has since continued on its incredible trajectory of success." [Cartier Press Kit]

The timepiece is not exactly new, as its movement (calibre 9452 MC) has been in existence at Cartier since 2008, albeit in a substation 46 mm case. Novelty this year is a new significantly 'reduced' (and teasingly sexy) case with only 39 mm diameter, which makes the flying tourbillon even more stand out.

We were shown the red gold version with grey flinqué dial. A blue enamel dials exists also (which we regretted to have missed, what a symbol for a Ballon Bleu de Cartier watch…)



The movement is certainly one of the top creations of Cartier (albeit resembling a bit a Vacheron Constantin movement…) and is certified according to the criteria of the Poinçon de Genève (both movement and watch itself). Assembly and adjustment take place in the Cartier workshops in the heart of Geneva, just a floor above the Cartier Boutique:



Cartier itself writes:

"In its new size, the Ballon Bleu de Cartier Flying Tourbillon watch is defined by a unique elegance. Its dimensions will appeal to men looking for a compact watch with a modern tourbillon and which, in addition to its soft lines, is characterised by great comfort. An exercise in harmony and proportion, today the case has a thickness of no more than 11.4 mm." [Cartier Press Kit]

Pro:

• Superb aesthetic integration of case, strap, dial and complication - with an extremely sexy outcome
• Excellent finishing

• Finally a unisex complicated watch!

Con:

• Too small for some (but there is an alternative anyway)
• Hands might be a but more pronounced
• Finally a unisex complicated watch!

"To desire the Ballon Bleu de Cartier extra-flat watch is to admire the refinement of an accessory on which time has little effect and which stands out on the wrist for its concentration of rigour and style."

Less is more, Cartier style: 40 mm diameter with only 6.9mm thickness. Driven by a manufacture movement with manual winding, calibre 430 MC (née Piaget), hidden behind a solid cold case back.



All Ballon Bleu de Cartier timepieces are delicately designed, especially round the crown. However, this design feature get most attention with the ultra-flat case of this piece:

A statement, or shall we call it a conclusion?!

As a "tradition" Cartier commissioned once more a comic strip book to communicate the Ballon Bleu watches. This year its entirely created by four female artists (Kan Takahama, Japan; Nadja, France; Posy Simmonds, UK; Rebecca Dautremer, France), for a good reason:

"(…) The privilege of commencing this nascent book of hours fall to the comic strip.

Our reasoning was very simple: as a women’s watch is the star of this edition, why not ask female illustrators to contribute? An idea with a lot of potential, not least because more and more women are contributing to the comic-strip scene. For this new showcase, we were spoilt for choice. And our four queens of the comic strip are a truly royal match for the sparkle of these irresistible new models." [Introduction Ballon Bleu de Cartier comic book]

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