Cartier

SJX
[Purist]
8540

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World premiere: Calibre de Cartier Astrotourbillon in titanium!

This will be a sure hit, the Astrotourbillon in a titanium Calibre de Cartier case, limited to 100 pieces. As far as I can recall this is the first Calibre de Cartier in titanium, in fact it is one of the few Cartier watches in titanium, though it will not be the only one. I think this is the best looking iteration of the Calibre de Cartier case yet! This will be officially launched at SIHH 2011 and I will have live photos of it soon.

- SJX

Press release:

Calibre de Cartier Astrotourbillon watch, Calibre 9451 MC

Powerful and light, imposing and comfortable

The Astrotourbillon movement, which was introduced last year after five years of development in the Manufacture, now powers the Calibre de Cartier watch. This distinctive timepiece, whose spectacular diameter is compensated by the extreme lightness of titanium, exhibits meticulous finishes on both the case and the movement.

It is an exclusive example of fine watchmaking by Cartier, available in a limited-edition series of 100 individually numbered timepieces.

A creative and technical movement

The 9451 MC movement features a tourbillon carriage that contains the escapement organs and balance spring.

As in a classic tourbillon, the carriage is driven by the third gear-wheel. The escapement pinion turns around a fixed seconds wheel (the fourth wheel of the gear train) in order to drive the escapement. Yet, this spectacular tourbillon, named the Astrotourbillon, has several special features that make it unique.

First, its carriage is positioned in the centre of the movement and thus relies on a special rotational axis. This, of course, involved redesigning the entire gear train, from the twin barrels of the movement to the hours and minutes displays.

Second, and this is what creates the Astrotourbillon’s striking visual effect, the balance and the escape wheel are not on the same rotational axis as the carriage. They are set to one side of the carriage, in linear alignment with its rotational axis.

Lastly, the tourbillon carriage is positioned “above” the movement between two dials, instead of being directly integrated into the movement like a classic tourbillon.

This central construction is unusual and has both aesthetic and technical consequences.

Visually, the elongated carriage makes one revolution of the entire dial every minute, while the off-centred balance bridge, shaped like an arrow, indicates the seconds. Technically, to ensure that the carriage is perfectly balanced, a platinum counterweight has been added to the opposite side of the carriage, hidden under the central dial. In order to control its inertia during rotation, the weight of the carriage has had to be limited (0.39 g in total, excluding the counterweight), which is why it has been fashioned from titanium.

A refined case

Designed in 2010, the calibre 9451 MC is housed in an imposing new 47 mm case that offers a fitting framework for its technical creativity.

The lightweight titanium gives a natural feeling of power and presence, reinforced by the exceptional wearing comfort of an ergonomic design featuring four horns that curve down to embrace the shape of the wrist.

Its refined silhouette is punctuated by a satin-brushed and polished double shoulder, which protects the octagonal crown from any shocks that could interfere with the watch’s operation. The rigorous standards and creativity demonstrated by these details extend to the Roman numerals, which offer a striking reinterpretation of the Cartier codes with an extra-large XII numeral dominating the dial. Its identity is further enhanced by a succession of semi-circular finishes, which perfectly reflect the dynamics of the 21st century.

Calibre de Cartier Astrotourbillon watch, calibre 9451 MC

Case: titanium

Diameter: 47 mm

Crown: octagonal in titanium, set with a faceted sapphire

Crystal: sapphire

Case back: sapphire crystal

Water-resistance: 30 metres

Strap: black alligator skin

Clasp: double folding adjustable, in 18 carat white gold

Calibre 9451 MC, Astrotourbillon

Movement: Manufacture Astrotourbillon mechanical, with manual winding

Diameter: 17 ¾ lines, (40.10 mm)

Thickness: 9.01 mm

Number of jewels: 23

Number of parts: 192

Balance: 21,600 vibrations/hour

Power reserve: approx. 48 hours

Individually numbered movement

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