Comments:
Cartier Calibre Chronograph
I have long been impressed by Cartier’s ability to create a diversity of watch designs while still ensuring they all retain the Cartier “house style.” If you removed the brand name from the dial I’m confident that you would still be able to identify the watch as coming from Cartier, just as you could drop the needle on a random piece of Mozart’s mature music and identify it unmistakably as coming from him, regardless of it being opera, symphonic, concerto, or chamber music.
What I have traditionally, and to be honest, selfishly, not liked about Cartier is that a majority of their production, outside of the exclusive and very expensive Fine Watchmaking collection, is geared toward female clientele. Cartier seems to recognize this reality and has been concentrating resources into creating more masculine watches these past few years. I wrote recently about my appreciating of the Tank Louis Cartier:
cartier.watchprosite.com
and I have also like the 42 mm models that are part of the Rontonde collection, whether simple like this:
or more complicated.
Cartier has put its most concerted effort in making gentlemen’s watches with its Calibre collection, which debuted in 2010 with a newly designed case and an in-house movement, the Calibre 1904 MC, which has been renamed the Calibre 1904 PS MC (Petite Seconde). Masculine, without a doubt, and a design that I liked from the first day I saw it.
Offered only on a strap that first year, Cartier brought out a bracelet option the next year, giving the watch the flexibility to be worn either sporty or dress, and also to compete against some stiff competition like the Rolex Datejust 2 and Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra.
This year Cartier introduced a natural extension: The Calibre Chronograph, with in-house Calibre 1904 CH MC.
This watch retains the 42 mm diameter or the original, though it is noticeably thicker:
The dial has a classic chronograph layout, though it is unusual in that the there are no running seconds in a subdial; rather, the 30-minute counter is at 3 o’clock and the 12-hour counter is at 9 o’clock. Retained from the instantly iconic Calibre dial with this Chronograph is the large Roman XII and Romans hours on the upper hemisphere and luminous stick markers on the lower, a sort of whimsical variation on the “California” dial. The 3 digit date window is symmetrically placed at 6 o’clock.
The only detail of the case and dial that I have reservations about is the railroad minute track on the bezel. It’s nice to have the track, especially for reading elapsed seconds, but it would not have fit on the dial without as it does in the classic Calibre.
The 1904 CH MC movement is based on the same 1904 PS MC movement found in the classic Calibre, which surprisingly was developed to be able to support an integrated chronograph design. The chronograph features column wheel control of the start, stop, and reset operations, and the chronograph engages via the vertical clutch architecture, allowing for continuous running of the chronograph with no ill effects on accuracy. Cartier reports that the 1904 movement has performed better in the field than their own high expectations had predicted.
The decorative finishing is good for a watch at this price point, but falls short of the high standards one would see in the Fine Watchmaking collection.
The Chronograph is an attractive addition to the Calibre family of watches, and I expect that Cartier will continue to make inroads with male collectors with this piece.
It certainly looks good on me, don't you think?
Bill
What I have traditionally, and to be honest, selfishly, not liked about Cartier is that a majority of their production, outside of the exclusive and very expensive Fine Watchmaking collection, is geared toward female clientele. Cartier seems to recognize this reality and has been concentrating resources into creating more masculine watches these past few years. I wrote recently about my appreciating of the Tank Louis Cartier:
cartier.watchprosite.com
and I have also like the 42 mm models that are part of the Rontonde collection, whether simple like this:
or more complicated.
Cartier has put its most concerted effort in making gentlemen’s watches with its Calibre collection, which debuted in 2010 with a newly designed case and an in-house movement, the Calibre 1904 MC, which has been renamed the Calibre 1904 PS MC (Petite Seconde). Masculine, without a doubt, and a design that I liked from the first day I saw it.
Offered only on a strap that first year, Cartier brought out a bracelet option the next year, giving the watch the flexibility to be worn either sporty or dress, and also to compete against some stiff competition like the Rolex Datejust 2 and Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra.
This year Cartier introduced a natural extension: The Calibre Chronograph, with in-house Calibre 1904 CH MC.
This watch retains the 42 mm diameter or the original, though it is noticeably thicker:
The dial has a classic chronograph layout, though it is unusual in that the there are no running seconds in a subdial; rather, the 30-minute counter is at 3 o’clock and the 12-hour counter is at 9 o’clock. Retained from the instantly iconic Calibre dial with this Chronograph is the large Roman XII and Romans hours on the upper hemisphere and luminous stick markers on the lower, a sort of whimsical variation on the “California” dial. The 3 digit date window is symmetrically placed at 6 o’clock.
The only detail of the case and dial that I have reservations about is the railroad minute track on the bezel. It’s nice to have the track, especially for reading elapsed seconds, but it would not have fit on the dial without as it does in the classic Calibre.
The 1904 CH MC movement is based on the same 1904 PS MC movement found in the classic Calibre, which surprisingly was developed to be able to support an integrated chronograph design. The chronograph features column wheel control of the start, stop, and reset operations, and the chronograph engages via the vertical clutch architecture, allowing for continuous running of the chronograph with no ill effects on accuracy. Cartier reports that the 1904 movement has performed better in the field than their own high expectations had predicted.
The decorative finishing is good for a watch at this price point, but falls short of the high standards one would see in the Fine Watchmaking collection.
The Chronograph is an attractive addition to the Calibre family of watches, and I expect that Cartier will continue to make inroads with male collectors with this piece.
It certainly looks good on me, don't you think?
Bill
I like the movement, I like manufacturer, I like the watch, but ...
... I think the strip date is cheesy and completely destroys the otherwise attractive dial design. Considering the many true classics Cartier has designed in the past, this series is, imho, the most mediocre one.
Thanks for showing it!
Regards,
Marcus
Thanks for showing it!
Regards,
Marcus
Thank you, Marcus...
I actually like the strip date on the horizontal as in this Calibre Chronograph (or the Piaget Polo FortyFive) more so that on the vertical, as with the original Calibre or the new IWC Mark XVII.
Bill
Talking to Cartier fans
Bill,
Thanks for your report.
In a limited sample of feedback from Cartier fans (people with a few Cartier watches in their collection), the general feeling about the Calibre de Cartier case was indifference, at best.
Nobody could really state Why this was so. Some of them had round watches (Rotonde) from Cartier so it was not generally the round basic shape at fault. All of them owned Cartier watches so obviously, they had no issue with the brand. The concept of a Cartier movement is perfectly acceptable; what's not to like?
So, why the lack of enthusiasm for the Calibre de Cartier shape? It was placed in the same pile as the Roadster and Tank Anglais with bracelet.
Yet, these people raved about other Cartier cases: various Tanks; Carre, Cintree, Baignoire, Francaise, Americaine, Louis Cartier, Santos-Dumont and Tortue or Rotonde. The Tank Anglaise on leather strap was liked more than the bracelet version.
We would need a larger sample of responders to make any statistical conclusions but it seems unusual for such a response from established clients for Cartier.
Regards,
MTF
Not part of the sample set...
As I'm not a Cartier owner, but I find the movement very "mundane", aesthetically. It's clearly well designed, but it's just not interesting to look at...
A
A
I found someone who likes Calibre de Cartier case
Dear Forumners,
To mitigate my last post, I have to report one person who likes the Calibre de Cartier case.
Not the chronograph version that was rejected as "lacking cohesion" but the automatic version on leather strap.
The 3-hand automatic Calibre de Cartier is reported as "balanced and distinctively Cartier" and the three-date window was praised.
Regards,
MTF
Interesting sample....
I wonder, especially if the group you asked about Calibre is more Purist in outlook, how that might reflect in the "real world," where knowledge about all the Cartier models, and competitor models, is less known.
Funny you should mention Tank Anglaise: I find the the two smaller sizes for women to be really attractive, while the large model does nothing for me. I still need to see the large in person on the strap, which might show it off better.
Bill
Calibre
The Rotonde is certainly gorgeous, though I have not seen it in person. As for the Calibre, both in it's original and new chronograph formats, also a beautiful creation. I had my heart set on the former, but upon visiting the localish Cartier boutique about a year ago, I was much less impressed. To me, it looked and felt quite bulky and angular. My main complaint was the very high profile bezel, which would quickly take many hits once exposed to the real world. While there I happily discovered the Ballon Bleu chonograph however, which in my opinion is much more elegant, wears very comfortably, and has become my favorite daily wearer. To each his own!