It doesn't hurt to be slightly sceptical

Mar 07, 2010,14:55 PM
 

Tony P puts it well when he describes "...another item in the expansive collection of bold and untested claims made with great fanfare by attention-seeking watch firms." While grand claims such as these provide cheap PR, genuine breakthroughs in this industry require serious commitment in terms of time and money. Hopefully history will put Cartier in the latter camp, but I'm sceptical. At least until they'll allow their 'results' to be independently validated.

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Cartier's take on the future of mechanical watchmaking - the ID One Concept Watch

 
 By: SJX : March 5th, 2010-21:32
Late last year, Cartier unveiled the ID One, a concept watch in the Ballon Bleu case. Intended to showcase several innovations the boffins at Cartier have been working on, Cartier stresses the ID One only a concept watch and will never be produced. But li...  

GO cartiet

 
 By: aldossari_faisal : March 6th, 2010-08:09
A lot of effort and analytical stages took place to reach to this concept watch, im amazed by how the problems were solved via using technology in creating new materials. Amazing, this is what I love about watch making , no matter how much technology is i... 

At last.

 
 By: garph : March 6th, 2010-09:31
This is the best post I have read... ever. Thank-You G

Very impressive

 
 By: KIH : March 6th, 2010-10:34
Can't wait the "concept" emerge on the road soon! Ken

A very important and well presented piece on the future of watchmaking.

 
 By: timerider : March 6th, 2010-10:41
The materials detailed have been available and used in other industries for sometime. It is great to see some of these techniques coming over to watch manufacture where they can aid in the evolution of the art. This article should go to the archives where... 

The materials have been used elsewhere for a long time

 
 By: SJX : March 7th, 2010-07:48
which is a good thing since stability over time would have been established. It's reassuring. - SJX

It makes you proud !!!!

 
 By: mustbeinsane : March 6th, 2010-11:38
Well if this concept had come from one of the other top makers of complications,I would not have been surprised,maybe JLC with their extensive and dep history of developing calibers,but this just proves that Cartier do not just make 'Jewellery Watches' - ... 

Bravo to Cartier, although they are of course not the only ones...

 
 By: tony p : March 6th, 2010-19:12
...doing this type of research work. I'm thinking of JLC with its lubrication-free Extreme Lab series, Ulysse Nardin's extensive use of silicium componentry in the Freak Innovision; and of course, as you pointed out in your article, Omega with their stron... 

It doesn't hurt to be slightly sceptical

 
 By: 1000km : March 7th, 2010-14:55
Tony P puts it well when he describes "...another item in the expansive collection of bold and untested claims made with great fanfare by attention-seeking watch firms." While grand claims such as these provide cheap PR, genuine breakthroughs in this indu... 

Great article SJX - enjoyed the read. More importantly, ID One

 
 By: 219 : March 7th, 2010-02:17
heralds the arrival of Cartier as a manufacture with a R&D capability second to none. While the ID One is a concept piece, the research embodied therein will find its way into the everyday pieces. However, to me, it would be a pity not to introduce such a... 

I like and admire the concepts and ideas but

 
 By: SJX : March 7th, 2010-07:49
truth be told I think the resulting wristwatch, albeit the only one made, is not my cup of tea. The Ballon Bleu case with the cabouchon on the crown just doesn't lend itself to this styling IMHO. - SJX

Have not seen the actual watch, but from the rendered

 
 By: 219 : March 8th, 2010-01:58
CAD pictures, I think it is the ultimate take in haute horologie. Something that looks benign, almost ordinary, but yet the very nature of the product is at the forefront of what the art of that product allows. I actually like the design/case/movement loo... 

Thank you SJX.....

 
 By: MiniCooper : March 7th, 2010-05:02
for a great report..... according to what I have been told Cartier will manufacture it in a few years..... we shall see... a very interesting concept.... Cartier are making bold steps in horology..... cheers

The true test of this

 
 By: SJX : March 7th, 2010-07:51
would be when the various concepts used in it find their way into the entry Santos Galbee or Tank Francaise and the resulting movement is reliable. - SJX

Very true....::))

 
 By: MiniCooper : March 7th, 2010-08:48

It's way too early to speculate and judge

 
 By: Geo : March 7th, 2010-11:50
The ID-One is a concept watch, nothing more, A result of a long research, that should actually not be judged on it's current appearance. The fact that the movement is housed in a titanium Ballon bleu case, is not important at all, it could also have been ... 

a fascinating and informative post thankyou SJX

 
 By: G99 : March 7th, 2010-14:10
i look forward to the day when this technology filters down to the majority of watches as usable technology eventually does. thanks again Graham

Impressive technology, and it may be seen across several brands as it filters thru.

 
 By: bernard cheong : March 8th, 2010-01:42
I guess, this is a lot less sensitive than the making of lenses and small medical instruments...and much of the work will be replicated in execution but just slightly differently with other competitors. Certainly, we will see many of these small parts "ca... 

You raise a very good point

 
 By: SJX : March 8th, 2010-07:03
If the mechanical watch moves too close to being 'perfect', then what happens to the idea of the luxury watch? What of the history, heritage etc? Will it become the Swiss equivalent of Seiko Spring Drive? - SJX

Interesting design for the movement. That watch needs to have a field test...

 
 By: Ronald Held : March 8th, 2010-06:00
to be evaluated under real world conditions. Also might you need that entire movement the way it is designed to achieve the <1 sec/day? And why have there been on one of those made?

It's a concept watch to showcase the ideas

 
 By: SJX : March 8th, 2010-06:04
So only one was made. - SJX