small-luxury-world[Patek]
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Hands on with Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire and Earth & Moon
Feb 22, 2014,09:23 AM
This year, two timepieces illustrate the notion of technical creativity and excellence according to Cartier: the Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire watch and the Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon watch. Both bear the mark of an innovative and unique interpretation of their respective functions.
We'd like to start with the former, the Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire :
The Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire represents a new vision of the perpetual calendar thanks to the creativity of its design and its amphitheatre-style display.
Arranged three-dimensionally in concentric levels, the Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire's
display of the perpetual calendar's functions is spread over the
different levels: the day is indicated on the first. It is followed by
the month on the second, which is itself surmounted by the date. Thin
windows move along these tiers. The perpetual calendar's final function
is indicated by a hand located on the back of watch and shows what type
of year it is: a leap year or a normal year.
Designed
like an amphitheatre, with the intention of clarifying the perpetual
calendar's indications, the watch's display is an incredible watchmaking
feat. It overcomes numerous readability issues that are specific to the
traditional approach to this complication, which requires the
juxtaposition of twelve months, seven days, the date and the type of
year in a diameter of just a few centimetres.
In our discussion we could clearly sense Mrs Forestier's pride in the new Cal. 9459 MC automatic movement. And rightfully so, as it solves three major problems associated with common perpetual calendars:
Anticipating risk of breakage
Partially patented, the gear train system of the Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire's
movement replaces the traditional lever and spring mechanisms with a
gear train mechanism that substantially limits the risk of breakage when
the date indications of the watch are set at inadvisable times. The
traditional design of a perpetual calendar prohibits any manual
correction several hours before and after midnight at the risk of
breaking the mechanism. The adjustments made using four minuscule
push-pieces on the side of the case are impractical and never clearly
identified.
Simplified setting using the crown
This operating problem no longer exists with the Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire watch's movement thanks to a setting system that uses the crown.
In addition to the traditional setting of the hour and minute, the crown also controls the date and month indicators.
This
ease of use is further increased by the possibility of correcting the
functions both forwards and backwards. Wearers of the Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire watch need no longer fear going beyond the current date as this error is easily corrected.
Masterful chronometry
The Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire watch houses at its heart a flying tourbillon: a complication that is emblematic of the Fine Watchmaking collection.
The Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire watch is certified with the Poinçon de Genève, in accordance with the new regulations' requirements.
With
45mm diameter it is technically large, but Cartier's designers have
done an excellent job in concealing this fact… Various levels, finishes
and layers play giantly at stage of this theatre!
Certainly, this is a watch which deserves a dedicated article, and rest assured we are tempted ...
Pro:
• Superbly conceptualised and original astronomical timepiece
• Intuitive readability of astronomical information
• Fail-safe setting mechanism using the crown instread of a push-piece
• Outstanding dial work
Con:
• Readability of time compromised
• 45 mm might be too much (but understandable necessity given the technical standard of the movement)
• Finishing of the movement on the back looks a bit "cold" and even when it fits to the approach of Cartier in general we still could imagine something more sprecial for such a watch
The second watch, the Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon watch,
it diverts the tourbillon from its strictly horological role, in which
it serves as a guarantee of precision and prestige, making it the
backdrop to the moon-phase display, which has neither hand nor aperture.
Removed
from its strictly horological role (balancing out the influence of
gravity), a tourbillon has been incorporated into a moon phase
complication, with each one dependent on the other.
Because it appears in its original form and exists only when its user wishes it to, the moon phase on the Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon
watch reveals a technical creativity that is doubly innovative. By
pressing the push-button situated at four o'clock on the side of the
case, a panels descends and partially obscures the Tourbillon carriage.
The crescent thus formed reproduces exactly the moon's shape in the sky.
The second time zone of the Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon watch is indicated by a 24-hour disc beneath the time indication.
At
the heart of the timepiece lies the completely new hand wound calibre
9440 MC (362 parts, and about 3 days of power reserve) which is all the
more remarkable because the semi-skeletonised bridges on the back of the
movement are structured in a star shape, echoing this precious
timepiece's lunar and terrestrial character on the case back.
Look how the stars glow in the "evening light" ...
On
the wrist - 47mm cast in platinum leave an expression, inevitable …
Smaller is barely possible with a movement which alone has a solid 38.8
mm diameter.
The 3D character is further enhanced by the lapis lazuli dial.
Pro:
• Very intelligent and refreshing implementation of a moon phase, using the tourbillon as moon
• Mechanism invites owner's interaction with the watch
• Super movement with a decoration reflecting the watch's theme
• Outstanding dial conception in respect to combining materials and (third) dimension
Con:
• Readability of second time zone compromised
• 47 mm ... large and heavy (platinum)