The Drive de Cartier collection has just been unveiled during the latest SIHH. As you already know, this important and strategic collection for Cartier is made of 3 different watches:
- Automatic with Date
- Large Date, Retrograde Second Timezone and day/night indicator
- Flying Tourbillon

The first two watches, available in several case materials and dial colors, share the same basic movement, the 1904MC and this is an excellent news. The 1904MC is for me a great caliber with a good winding efficiency and a double barrel whose aim is not to increase the power reserve but to ensure a stable torque. Obviously, the Flying Tourbillon one belongs to a different category. It is actually a pleasure to find again the caliber 9452MC, already used inside several cases (Rotonde, Ballon Bleu, Calibre, Tank, Santos) in the new Drive context.



Saying that this Drive de Cartier Flying Tourbillon is a very surprising watch would be a lie. Cartier uses a very known recipe but once again, it works and the outcome is very appealing. For two main reasons:
- the mesmerizing behavior of the tourbillon,
- the circular area dedicated to the tourbillon reinforces the style and the convincing design of the Drive case shape.

The movement 9452MC, which is certified "Poinçon de Genève", is assembled at the Cartier's workshop in Geneva. Its frequency is 3hz and its power reserve is around 50 hours. It is a rather thin movement (4,5mm) what is an excellent point for the overall elegance of the watch even if the case by itself is not that slim. On the downside, its own diameter is quite small: 24,9mm. The consequence is the difficulty to create a balanced dial when the case size is large and we are in this context with the Drive collection. The Drive case offers a 40mm diameter what creates a gap of 15mm with the caliber one. It is the reason why this movement is much more enjoyable with the Ballon Bleu 39mm than with much larger watches.



But, once again, the Cartier designers managed to preserve a certain harmony and a balance dial side. It is due to large opening which allows to get a spectacular view on the Tourbillon. Even if the top of this opening touches the hands axis, it occupies a sufficient area of the lower side of the dial to not be perceived as too close to the center of the watch.

Morever, the watch takes advantage of the classic dial lay-out and design of the high horology segment of Cartier: it is clearly made of two layers: a lower layer with a "sunrays" guillochage and an upper one which features the central minutes scale and the peripheral roman figures structure. I like a lot this typical dial lay-out. It gives a subtle feeling of depth and plays with several contrasts (the guillochage and the upper scales, the large roman figures and the small arabic ones around the Tourbillon opening and of course, the blued sword sword-shaped hands). Clearly, this lay-out contributes to the feeling of balance.



But at the end, the main contrast which is immediately perceptible comes from the shapes differences between the Tourbillon opening and the Drive case. This contrast is enhanced by the scales shapes (minutes and roman figures) which follow the case one. It allows to better appreciate the successful approach of the case design. Inspired by some details of the automobile design, the Drive de Cartier case can be considered as a suble evolution of the classic cushion-shaped cases. It gives the feeling to be at the same time smooth and sharp. Actually, it embodies a kind of quiet energy which is very seducing. The 40mm case diameter seems to be quite large but when put on the wrist, the watch looks a bit smaller thanks to the very curved lugs. Some shapes make me think about a car grille not to mention the lovely crown which looks like a bolt and which is nice to use when we wind the caliber. I also like the blend of brushed (casesides) and polished parts.

The movement 9452MC in the context of the Ballon Bleu 39mm:



The caseback of the Drive de Cartier Flying Tourbillon allows to observe the finishes of the movement 9452MC. They are neat and sober and the main point of interest is found in the Tourbillon bridge. The view is not that spectacular (and the limited size of the movement becomes obvious) but it is at the end often the case with Tourbillon movements when the regulating organ is located dial side. Having said that, the movement 9452MC, due to its use by Cartier for several years can be considered as a reliable caliber and the watch gives a feeling of trust.



When I put the Drive de Cartier Flying Tourbillon on the wrist, I understood the assets of the case. The watch gives an excellent presence but manages to stay  reasonable when it comes to its perceived size. The flying tourbillon and its C-shaped carriage animate the dial with charm and their mesmerizing behavior is a joy for the eyes. The subtle character of the case makes the watch a bit more original than its counterparts of the other Cartier collections. It is the reason why I consider the Drive de Cartier Flying Tourbillon as one of the most interesting options to take advantage of the movement 9452MC. With such piece, the Drive collection is on the right tracks!

I will come back later to the other watches of the collection.

Thanks to the Cartier team for the warm welcome at the SIHH.

Pros:
+ the interesting case shape which gives a subtle character to the watch
+ the feeling of depth of the dial
+ the mesmerizing behavior of the flying tourbillon
+ the comfort on the wrist

Cons:
- Sorry but I still have the same problem with the Cartier folding clasp which quickly spoils the strap
- the movement looks a bit too small when observed back side.

Fx This message has been edited by foversta on 2016-02-19 15:53:05