Cartier Rotonde Annual Calendar Review

SJX offers a hands-on review of the Rotonde de Cartier Annual Calendar, a significant 2012 addition to Cartier's Fine Watchmaking collection. He explores its practical design and accessible price point, providing valuable insights into its functionality and aesthetic nuances. This review helps collectors understand the watch's real-world wearability and unique movement characteristics.

I recently had the new Rotonde de Cartier Annual Calendar on my wrist for a few weeks. The annual calendar has been one of the most talked about 2012 additions to the Fine Watchmaking collection. It is practical and cleverly designed, and unlike the new minute repeater for instance, the annual calendar is accessibly priced. So what’s the verdict?

The Rotonde Annual Calendar is indeed very useful with the complete calendar displayed on the dial. But the downside is that it can be a bit difficult to read the calendar text (not the large date) at a glance since there is quite a bit going on.

The day and month are sometimes confusing as neither is an instantaneous jumping hand, rather both moves gradually. So in between days or months it takes a moment to figure out if it’s pointing to the last or the current one. That stems from the movement design, which is extremely energy efficient so that there is negligible effect on chronometry (hardly any drop in amplitude) due to the calendar change.

And that is a reason why window displays (usually my preferred method for calendar displays) would not have been possible.

While initially I thought the deep set large date, due to the multi-layer dial, would be hard to read, it is easily legible.

Much has been made of the larger case sizes that make up most of the Fine Watchmaking line. This annual calendar is 45 mm. But I like the size; it feels good on the wrist. Any smaller and the calendar would be impossible to read.

As for the movement, which uses the 1904 MC as a base, I only wish the rotor was made more interesting. As it is (rhodium plated with black lacquer filled text) it is mundane and no different from lower end Cartier. That being said the finishing is substantially and necessarily better than the same calibre used in entry level watches, for example in the bridge bevelling and polishing of the screw heads.

This is available in white and rose gold. I received the latter for the review but I prefer the more subdued look of the white gold model.

I think this would do well in the sportier Calibre de Cartier case, especially in titanium. I would not be surprised if that happens in the future.

The annual calendar was loaned to me for an upcoming review in The Peak Selections: Timepieces, which will be available at newsstands and bookstores in Singapore from late August 2012.

- SJX