It is for me the big privilege to live close to the Cartier boutique of Paris - Capucines. Don't ask me why but on a regular basis, some watches from the former Collection Privée - Cartier Paris (CPCP) become available at the boutique. It is a great news for the Cartier fans and collectors because these watches represent for me the perfect demonstration of the Cartier style: a solid horological content combined with a refined style and, from time to time, some poetic complications. So this kind of opportunity shall not be missed because they don't usually stay very long in the displays!
It is the reason why I was very happy to handle today the Tortue XL Day & Night which was introduced, if i'm not wrong, at the SIHH 2008. I'm usually not a big fan of non-round watch, except the rectangular ones but there is a kind of magic for me with the Tortue shape: I find it very appealing each time I put it on the wrist. To be more precise, I'm under the charm of such case shape when its size is not too large because a non-round watch tends to look very quickly too big, if not bulky, when its dimensions increase.



The Tortue XL Day & Night combines for me the three main ingredients of a successful Cartier CPCP watch:

- a balanced size enhancing its charming design. Thanks to its 38x48mm dimensions, the Tortue Day & Night offers the right size for such type of watch. It looks elegant but it is also large enough to feature a good presence on the wrist. The case is not flat and it is rather thick (close to 12mm) with some curves which give to it a nice feeling when you stroke the watch with your fingers. You may think that these dimensions are even too large for a dressed watch but they are required to allow the dial to host the complication: a second timezone display based on a day/night display.

- this complication is obviously the second asset of the watch. It uses a beautiful disk in which the sun and the moon replace the hand dedicated to the second timezone display. Actually, if this complication is set to be exactly on the same timezone than the main display, it could be considered as an alternative and poetic way to tell the local time. Forget the hands, forget our usual visual points of reference, just follow the path of the moon and of the star on the sky! This complication gives the feeling to be back to the first steps of time measuring when the observation of the sky was the only way to get a rough idea of what was the time of day. I love the sun and the moon, the delicate way they they follow the peripheral scale... and at the end, the main time display almost fades!



- the last asset of the Tortue XL Day & Night movement is its lovely handwing movement, the 9904 MC. This movement is in-house and features a 4hz frequency with a power reserve of 3 days. It offers the decorating style of the CPCP collection with the bridges decorated with the Cartier double-C motif. I like the visible wheels onthe left of the movement which break the uniformity of the visual rendering. The bridges shapes could have been a bit more ambitious since they avoid any decoration difficulty but they give a good dynamic on the movement lay-out. The balance wheel looks small in this context but I can understand it due to the good power reserve for a 4hz movement. The barrel is partially visible on the top right side. The size of the movement is rather small with a diameter of 25,6mm but it is not a main issue in this context due to the case shape. It is the reason why I appreciate to see the caliber thanks to the sapphire back.

The movement 9904 MC is easy to handle and the octogonal faceted crown is large enough to give a good winding experience.



This Tortue XL Day & Night has without any doubt a lot of charm. I appreciate its refined design and the perfect integration of the complication on the dial. It also reminds me that the addition of the moonphase display featured in the latest Rotonde Day & Night, even if well done, was not mandatory. Simplicity is very often the best companion in the creative process and this Tortue is a perfect example. And the second timezone display is not with this watch a mere additional and useful complication. It is a poetic invitation to read the time differently.



This watch available in white and pink gold was not released in the context of a limited edition but its production was low.

Thanks to the team of the Cartier boutique of Paris - Capucines.

Pros:
+ a very refined watch which manages to keep a good presence on the wrist
+ the poetic and useful complication
+ the power reserve of 3 days
+  the dial and disk finishes

Cons:
- the bridges shapes could have been a bit more ambitious
- the folding clasp spoils the strap


This message has been edited by foversta on 2016-04-24 03:10:34