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Cartier is having a great year at SIHH 2014 with the announcement of 17 new models! These models include 5 from the Rotonde collection, two from the calibre dive watch and two from the tank collection. All of them will be covered below. Tank I will cover the tank models first. There were two new models, the MC watch and the LC watch. MC watch The watch case is in rose gold, and so are the bridges. This watch is a two-tone watch though. This is due to the fact that it has steel parts in the movement, rather than rose gold. The price is 36K euros or ~$50K. Pictures and dimensions can be found here. LC watch The watch case is made out of white gold rather than rose gold. One of the bridges make a circular pattern, providing somewhat of a dial on a skeleton watch. The movement is held in place by transparent sapphire, making it appear to be floating, a specialty of Cartier. I have not come across the price yet. Pictures and other information can be found here. Rotonde de Cartier The Rotonde collection holds the bulk of new watches. All of which are extremely complicated. Earth and Moon This watch is absolutely fascinating. With a polished platinum case and a lapis lazuli dial the watch really pops. The amazing thing about this watch is not the tourbillon, but the fact that the moon phase function is on demand. By pressing one of the two pushers the floating circle descends over the tourbillon and the remaining area it doesn't cover it the phase of the moon. By pressing a pusher again it can be retracted and hidden. The pusher at four o'clock rotates the second time zone disk. Click here for more info and pictures. There will only be 50 made so the price is really only for the deep-pocketed collectors at around $275,000. Tourbillon (W1556245) No real name for this watch has been released, so I included the model number. As the "name" suggests the watch has a tourbillon. It is placed a 9 o'clock. The other three spots are taken up by the logo (12), the 30-minute chronograph subdial (3) and the 8-day power reserve indicator (6). Pictures and other information can be found here. Unfortunately I have not found a price for this watch. But with a pink gold case it will be expensive. Astrocalendaire This case is in platinum, to start off, and the dial makes one look immediately to the tourbillon, located at 6 o'clock. It is called the astrocalendaire because of the perpetual calendar in three disks around the tourbillon displaying day, date and month. The price will be around $200,000. Look here for more information and pictures. Day and Night Two versions of the day and night watch were introduced this year, one in pink gold and one in palladium. Both versions have an illustrious day/night indicator that has elaborate illustrations and is the dominating feature of the dial. It also has a more subtle moon phase indicator. In the upper half of the dial the sun displays the hours an in the lower half there is a small line near the edge of the dial that has an indicator there. There is a central minute hand and moon phase hand in the shape of a lunar crescent. Pictures of the palladium version can be found here and pictures of the pink gold version can be found here. Calibre This year Cartier had a new addition to the masculine Calibre line with the dive watches. You will have to scroll through the different watches as all the links lead to the same place. Two Tone A two tone version of the new dive watch water resistant to 300m. Pictures and other information can be found here. Pink Gold A version in solid pink gold it is, like all the other models, 42mm in diameter. Pictures can be found here. Stainless Steel This is the cheapest version and the most sporty version in stainless steel. Pictures and dimensions can be found here. Ballon Bleu Extra Flat Their most famous design makes another debut with the extra flat versions. You will have to scroll through the different watches as all the links lead to the same place. Pink Gold White Dial 40mm in diameter and a hand wound in-house caliber. 6.9mm thick! See the pictures here. Pink Gold Gray Dial Same stats. See the pictures here. Ballon Bleu Art These watches have elaborately painted dials focusing around a tourbillon, the only visible part of the movement. You will have to scroll through the different watches as all the links lead to the same place. I only mention these because I feel I should mention every watch, not just the ones that are important or revolutionary. Pink Gold It has an eagle on the dial, the eagle is actually looking at the tourbillon. See pictures here. Pink Gold With Diamonds It has the same eagle on the dial with diamonds rimming the dial. Pictures are here. Platinum A mystery watch, the tourbillon seems to be rotating in midair, in two ways also. There is a white tiger on the dial. The pictures and dimensions can be found here. Platinum with Diamonds on a Leather Strap Another mystery watch using the same movement it has diamonds rimming the dial and a black leather strap. The white tiger is found again on the dial. Pictures and other stats can be found here. Platinum with Diamonds on a Bracelet Yep, this watch is basically covered in diamonds, even the bracelet. All the white tigers are not painted but are actually mosaics, or so it appears. Pictures can be seen here. Final Thoughts Cartier has a great thing going with their dive watches and their Rotonde watches but with their Ballon watches, especially the art ones it just seems like a useless watch, more for jewelry and less for telling time. I hope to see Cartier move away from these and focus more towards their Calibre collection or Rotonde collection. Despite these art watches 2014 should still be a successful year for Cartier.
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Jake Fogarty is the founder of It's All About Watches and writer for most of what you will read here. If you want to contact me you can visit the contact and advertising page.
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