578 components, 5 years of development, 15 weeks of production at the Manufacture, 10 weeks of decorating and finishing and 5 weeks of assembly.
Of all Cartier watchmaking creations, this timepiece is the most complex.
The Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Grande Complication in brief: 578 components, 5 years of development, 15 weeks of production at the Manufacture, 10 weeks of decorating and finishing and 5 weeks of assembly. The result is measured in millimetres. A thickness of 5.49 mm for a self-winding mechanical movement that brings together three of the most prestigious Fine Watchmaking complications: a perpetual calendar, a minute repeater and a flying tourbillon. Equipped with the self-winding calibre 9406 MC, this “Poinçon de Genève”-certified timepiece combines the elegance of a platinum case with the excellence of an extra-flat skeleton movement.
The minute repeater function is considered one of the most prestigious complications in Fine Watchmaking: behind its magic and its complexity it transports the reading of time into the world of sound and enables the wearer to hear the time on demand.
Click on the sound file to hear the watch chime…
The flying tourbillon on the Rotonde de Cartier Grande Complication watch is located at 12 o’clock and represents a signature feature thanks to the delicacy of its design.
The perpetual calendar indicates the date, automatically recognising not only whether a month has 30 or 31 days, but also the month of February – even in leap years, which occur once every four years. Taking into account both calendar and astronomical time, this calendar is designed to provide for the lag inherent in the Gregorian calendar, which dictates that a year contains 365.25 days. It therefore requires adjustment once every four years, whereas the Rotonde de Cartier Grande Complication watch only needs adjusting once every 100 years.
Rotonde de Cartier Grande Complication Skeleton watch Minute repeater, flying tourbillon, perpetual calendar, skeleton, self-winding calibre 9406 MC, certified “Poinçon de Genève”
45 mm case in 950‰ platinum
Beaded crown in 950‰ platinum set with a blue sapphire cabochon Baton-shaped, apple and hammer hands in blued steel
Black alligator skin strap
Double adjustable folding buckle in 18-carat white gold
Case thickness: 12.6 mm
Crystal and case back in sapphire
Water-resistant to 3 bar (~30 metres)
The Rotonde de Cartier Grande Complication watch plays with transparency in a myriad of different ways, thanks to its precious openwork dial in 18-carat gold and its masterfully skeletonised movement.
The skeletonisation of the calibre 9406 MC allows the observer to measure the beauty and complexity of this prestigious movement, on which the minute repeater, perpetual calendar and flying tourbillon are fully apparent.
The calibre 9406 MC gets its energy from a platinum micro-rotor with “guilloché” and “Côtes de Genève” finishing. The innovative construction of this two-level micro-rotor enables a reduction in winding speed while limiting energy loss. The Rotonde de Cartier Grande Complication watch is certified “Poinçon de Genève”.
