We reveal what goes into the design and production of this artistic luxury watch from the house of Cartier
The panther is a permanent fixture in Cartier’s collections. Its graceful form may be most easily appreciated when melded with a sculptural bracelet or ring, but it’s really the flat expanse of a watch dial that pushes the imagination of the artisan and the boundaries of creativity. How many ways can Cartier interpret its emblematic animal within the confines of a watch case? Endless, it seems.
This new creation, which premiered at Watches & Wonders 2020, is an example that showcases the traditional art of straw marquetry. Throw gold marquetry and enamelling into the mix, and we get this stunning piece of horological art designed to mimic the look of bas-relief.
The entire timepiece requires more than 100 hours of work, of which 97 are spent on the dial alone—a testament to the level of artistry that a Cartier “Métiers d’Art” watch requires.
Related: Maillon de Cartier Gives Bracelet Watches An Architectural Twist