Clé de Cartier is a simple curve that works in three dimensions, a quasi-architectural exercise

FUNKE OSAE-BROWN

Foremost luxury watchmaker, Cartier has launched its latest watch collection, Clé de Cartier. The new collection pays homage to intrinsic craftsmanship the brand is known for.

Like other Cartier’s timepieces, Clé de Cartier is a simple curve that works in three dimensions, a quasi-architectural exercise. With these timepieces, Cartier has traditionally placed great emphasis on the volumetric qualities of its designs, creating models characterised by strong lines and distinctive forms. Behind Clé de Cartier is the spirit of innovation, a pioneering ethos that has not just brought about numerous technical advances, but also engendered ground-breaking new forms.

Cartier is known for the unique shapes of its other interesting timepieces like the square for santos, the rectangle for tank… the result is a line of emblematic timepieces that have not just created a new aesthetic, but also stood the test of time. Creativity, passion and pure excellence are the keys to a success that has endured for more than a hundred years. The same qualities at the very heart of Clé de Cartier are no exception.

What is unique about Clé de Cartier is its tightly-drawn curve. Clé de Cartier is arched, streamlined and sleek, organic and ergonomic. Its sensual shape fits snugly to the wrist, providing ease and congeniality to the wearer.

Clé de Cartier has both the men and women collection. The women’s collection is a combination of simple and elegance. It is a fine balance between strength and grace that is the subtle equation fully embodied by the women’s collection.

The case’s pared-down lines lend a sober sophistication, while the fluid rounded forms add a distinctly tactile, sensuous note accentuated by diamonds set flush to the case, making them silkily smooth to the touch.

There is a certain audacity to the Clé de Cartier collection for men. It gives men a look that exudes serene strength and self-assuredness. A design that reaches out to those who have grasped that the essence of life is to be found in equilibrium, clarity and restraint. It is made for men who embody a quiet confidence and a tranquil force, a man who has nothing to prove, who simply appreciates beauty for its intrinsic value.

Cartier has a rich history of creating innovative crowns and Clé de cartier firmly upholds that heritage. This time, it is not only one of the watch’s most distinctive features, but also the inspiration for its name. ‘clé’ in French means key, and the crown’s resemblance to one is unmistakable. The act of resetting the time and date introduces a new gesture to the world of watchmaking.

What is unique about Clé de Cartier is its tightly-drawn curve

11 things to know about Clé de Cartier

1. It has jewel-like, key-like crown.
2. A simple unique shape; to create a new form based on a perfect circle.
3. Sharp edges were eliminated, the bezel is gently rounded, the horns smoothly tapered.
4. Its sizeable dimensions make the crown remarkably easy to handle.
5. Elongated and pure, it is adorned with a sapphire that is not set in a classical manner. Instead, it is ingeniously inserted to remain flush with the metal surrounding it.
6. The new indexed winding mechanism combines both facility and conviviality. It incorporates a system that allows the time to be set with great ease.
7. It has a new in-house movement combining cutting-edge technology.
8. Its name—1847 mc—was not chosen by chance. The numerals indicate the year of the maison’s creation. With a 25.6 diameter, it was imagined according to the same design principles as the case itself: a pared-down approach and a focus on efficiency.
9. The incorporation of a particularly rapid barrel provides it with tremendous chronometric stability. its automatic mechanism with a dual-direction
10. The winding mechanism is endowed with great robustness and durability thanks to a specially conceived lever system.
11. Decorated with “vagues de genève”, it boasts a semi-instantaneous date indicator and a 42-hour power reserve too.

You can buy Clé de Cartier at Polo Limited, Nigeria or visit www.pololuxury.com. Prices are available on request.