Follow us as we share the exciting new timepieces that our Editor absolutely loved during the recent Watches and Wonders.
Cartier Masse Mystérieux
While Cartier is renowned for its finesse in watch and jewellery creations, many often forget that in the early 20th century, the French maison was famous for something else too – the Mystery Clock. During the time when wristwatches were not yet mainstream, Cartier’s mystery clocks were highly sought after by the wealthy and discerning. To date, these Mystery Clocks are still stunningly beautiful to look at – they are the perfect embodiment of how Cartier is a master at fusing creativity, engineering, and aesthetics. It is intriguing and amazing just thinking that they were engineered and crafted more than a hundred years ago.
Mechanics has always been an integral part of Cartier’s design aesthetics. And while it is near-impossible to own one of their Mystery Clocks nowadays, Cartier’s Fine Watchmaking segment has released several watches inspired by the concept behind its Mystery Clocks, and the Masse Mystérieux is the latest one to wow at the recent Watches & Wonders.
A creation that took nearly 8 years to materialise, this timepiece is definitely befitting of the term ‘mechanical art’. Minimal as it looks, the Masse Mysterieux is an engineering feat. Housed in a platinum case, the automatic manufacture movement 9801MC is built into the semi-circular oscillating weight, which appears to be floating on the dial. It is mesmerising to stare at, just like Cartier’s Mystery Clocks. If you look closely at the oscillating weight, you will notice how meticulously crafted this one-of-a-kind movement is, from details such as the gear train, to the bridges and balance springs. The rest of the watch is kept pure and refined, such as the slim, polished sword-shaped hands, in addition to roman numerals which are discreetly visible on the chapter ring. Iconic Cartier signatures include the spinel-set crown. Made in a limited edition of 30 pieces.
Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire
At nearly every major watch fair, minute repeaters often emerge as talking pieces. The L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire by Chopard was no doubt one of the highlights of this year. After winning the Aguille d’Or Grand Prize at the Grand Prix de Horlorgerie Geneve in 2017, the independent Swiss watch and jewellery maker continued to push boundaries by making the Full Strike case entirely in synthetic sapphire – including the crown with its integrated minute repeater pusher, lugs, caseband and caseback. It is the first minute repeater in the world that has been crafted in this manner, and with this, both the aesthetics and sound quality of the Full Strike have been elevated to another level. The unprecedented case design, coupled with its impressive monobloc sapphire crystal gongs and dial, gives even better resonance and tonal clarity than the first L.U.C Full Strike launched in 2016, made with 18K Fairmined rose gold.
What’s worth mentioning too, is that in order to achieve optimal musicality of the L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire, Chopard enlisted the expertise of two string virtuosos, Gautier and Renaud Capuçon, as well as Professor Romain Boulandet, head of the Applied Acoustics Laboratory at Geneva’s HEPIA engineering school. Together, they further refined the sound made by this unprecedented Sapphire minute repeater. And because of the unalterable structure of the patented monobloc sapphire gongs system, the pitch and quality of the L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire will supposedly remain the way it is, throughout its lifetime. Presented as a limited edition of 5 pieces only.
Keep up with all the Watches and Wonders 2022 launches here! Locate the nearest boutique for a visit.
