When the brand released the Cartier Privée Collection Paris (CPCP) in 1998, it offered an opportunity to update and modernize some of their most cherished and iconic designs. This extended to the Tortue model, first introduced by Cartier in 1912 and fitted with a European Watch and Clock movement. It was with great pride and fanfare that they reintroduced the Cartier Tortue Monopoussoir in 1999, alongside a flying tourbillon and time-only version. Named “tortue à pattes” or “turtle on legs”, it was a symbol of good fortune and longevity.
The new watch was larger and contemporary, featuring the all-new chronograph caliber 045MC. This new movement is historic as it was co-developed by Vianney Halter, Denis Flageollet, and Francois-Paul Journe through their firm at the time, Techniques Horlogères Appliquées (THA). Together, they developed a single-button chronograph movement with a lever escapement and clutch system with a swivel pin. Essentially, this upgrade does away with the “jolt” or “skip” the user feels when re-setting the seconds hand and allows for a smoother re-set function.
The CPCP only released watches from 1998 until 2008, when Cartier launched its Fine Watchmaking Collection, featuring in-house, highly complicated movements. Recently, the market has begun to acknowledge the sheer beauty and technical mastery of watches from the CPCP collection, in particular Monopouissoir models, and the current lot offers a rare opportunity to obtain this outstanding combination of horological innovation and classical aesthetics.
With the Constitution of 1848 came a new standard for luxury in France. Founded one year prior by Louis-Francois Cartier, the house of Cartier was one of the first to use platinum in jewelry making. This incredibly expensive material became the stepping-stone for Cartier to experiment in form, mechanisms and attitude. It helped men move from pocket watches to wristwatches, effectively making the watch much more functional and prominent in a man's overall wardrobe.
Cartier did not only touch on functionality. Inspired by a commissioned painting by George Barbier featuring a black panther at the feet of an elegantly bejeweled woman, Cartier began incorporating wild animals in his designs—most notably, Cartier Panthère rings, bangle bracelets and watches. Yet it wasn't until the late 1960s that the house of Cartier debuted their iconic yellow and rose gold LOVE collection, which includes the famous bracelet that only a special screwdriver can open.