Cartier

- SJX

Press release:

Tourbillon and crocodile Geneva Seal watch, calibre 9458 MC

A very feminine Grande Complication watch

Cartier has brought a wonderful dreamlike quality to this artistically beautiful flying

tourbillon. The watchmaker has inversed the movement to show the mechanism and its skeletonised bridges, which now form part of the decor.

Once upon a time, there was a fabulous tourbillon…

At the heart of this exceptional watch, a diamond crocodile carefully guards the time.

Sculpted in white gold with emerald eyes, the reptile is graciously surrounded by a bed of water lilies in translucent red and white enamel.

The heartbeats of this enchanting jewellery piece are driven by the oscillations of a unique flying tourbillon: the calibre 9458 MC, adorned with the Geneva Seal.

This Manufacture mechanical movement with manual winding contains 167 parts, including 19 jewels. With a thickness of 5.58 mm and a diameter of 17 ½ lines, it runs at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations/hour and has a power reserve of 50 hours. It is regulated by a flying tourbillon featuring a C-shaped carriage that also serves to indicate the seconds. Instead of being positioned in the traditional way, protected between the bridges and plate of the movement, this flying tourbillon has been developed as a stunning design feature. The carriage appears to “fly” over the bridges, as if suspended weightless above the dial, and is particularly exposed to the shocks that could disturb its balance. The technical risks linked this superb solution thus required the master watchmakers to pay particular attention to the design of the carriage, in order to ensure that the tourbillon’s shock-resistance remained unaffected.

It is this feature that gives this round watch its timekeeping rhythm. Set entirely with diamonds, it required over 50 hours of work to produce.

The seamless fusion of two areas of expertise − jewellery and watchmaking – has resulted in the hidden beauty and superb functionality of this Manufacture mechanical movement. It is further enhanced by high-quality finishes, all of which have been meticulously crafted to meet the very demanding standards of the Geneva Seal.

Tourbillon and crocodile watch, calibre 9458 MC

Case: rhodium-plated 18 carat white gold

Diameter: 44.5 mm

Crown: circular-grained in rhodium-plated 18 carat white gold, set with a diamond

Crystal: sapphire

Case back: black mother-of-pearl

Water-resistance: 30 metres

Strap: black brushed canvas

Buckle: ardillon in rhodium-plated 18 carat white gold, set with diamonds

Number of stones and carats: 585 stones totalling 8.20 carats

Calibre 9458 MC, flying tourbillon, Geneva Seal

Movement: Manufacture mechanical with manual winding

Diameter: 17 ½ lines (39 mm)

Thickness: 5.58 mm

Number of jewels: 19

Number of parts: 167

Balance: 21,600 vibrations/hour

Power reserve: approx. 50 hours

Individually numbered movement

Limited-edition series of 50 individually numbered timepieces