Introducing the Cartier Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon, Equipped with a New, In-House Movement
The flagship watch for the Fine Watchmaking collection at SIHH 2012 is the magnificent Rotonde de Cartier Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon watch. The tone, volume (68 dB) and clarity are superb, as is the finishing (the movement has the Geneva Seal). In fact this is the best finished Cartier watch produced today, in my humble opinion.
The movement is equipped with an air governor which is silent, as well as gongs with a square profile for maximum contact with the hammers. And the choice of a button rather than a slide for the repeater is to minimise the mass of the case, thus improving the volume.
Though this is also available in rose gold, the best sounding is the titanium case version, pictured here. Despite being a large 45 mm in diameter, the proportions look right and the watch sits well on the wrist. I very much like the aesthetics as well.
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In anticipation of the question, according to Carole Forestier, head of Cartier technical development, the movement is in-house, and not derived from any Roger Dubuis calibre.
Unlike the 2011 flagship complication, the Astroregulateur, this is a traditional complication but beautifully executed, tops in terms of construction and design. Bravo!
– SJX
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