W&W 2021: Cloche de Cartier. Shaped like a Bell and Also Can Turn into a Desk Clock.

Cloche de Cartier

After the Crash, the Tank Cintrée, the Tonneau, and the Tank Asymétrique, the new Cloche de Cartier is the fifth capricious creation from the Cartier Privé line. The Privé collection celebrates and explores the Maison’s mythical models through numbered, limited edition watches. The Cloche —French for bell— shape appeared in Cartier pieces in 1920. The first “cloche” shape takes the form of diamonds and an onyx watch brooch and a year later the first Cloche wristwatch in platinum and diamonds was launched followed by a yellow gold version with a leather strap.

Between 1920 and 1970, Cartier created several models, and in 1984, the watch was relaunched within the Louis Cartier collection. Several variations were added up to the end of the 1980s as well as the first gold models with leather straps, including pieces with precious dials and ‘rice grain’, gadroon, or colored leather straps. These creations all came with a quartz movement.

In 1995 Cartier launched a limited series of 200 Cloche de Cartier watches, distinguished by the use of Arabic numerals with ‘apple’ hands, a mechanical movement, and a sapphire cabochon. Then in 2007, the Cloche de Cartier watch was relaunched in a limited series of 100 pieces in 18K yellow gold, with a leather strap, apple-shaped hands, and Roman numerals. The watch can also be placed vertically as a ‘desk clock’.

Cloche de Cartier

Cloche de Cartier, because, when placed horizontally, its outline is reminiscent of a service bell rung at a counter. Like many Cartier signature pieces, it has been named after its shape, made notable for the purity of its line and clear inspiration.

“The Cloche de Cartier watch illustrates the Maison’s approach to shape, and how it is considered for its aesthetic but also by appreciating all of its possible evocations. It highlights the Maison’s talent at playing with simple shapes and revealing their aesthetic potential.” Pierre Rainero, Director of Image, Style and Heritage at Cartier.

In addition to Cartier’s work with shapes, as seen with the Tortue, the Tank, and the Baignoire, the Maison’s designers see beauty wherever it may be. The Cloche de Cartier watch is one of the rarest aesthetics in Cartier’s watchmaking repertoire. A collector’s piece that is unusual and unique in its category, it adopts all the Maison’s watchmaking codes. The chemin de fer —rail track— minute track and hour markings are adapted to the dial’s asymmetrical shape and the crown is set with a cabochon. Both respectful of the Maison’s watchmaking tradition while at the same time breaking away from common practice, this Cloche creation is unusual in that it may be read whilst worn on the wrist and can additionally be removed and placed on a table to be transformed into a desk clock. Two new calibres have had to be made at the Cartier Manufacture at La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland to adapt to the aesthetic imperatives imposed by this unique shape.

Cloche de Cartier

“A new functional architecture was therefore designed, to perfectly match that of the watch. Thanks to excellent cooperation, we were able to give priority to aesthetic emotion over technical perception in this new skeleton version.” Marie-Laure Cérède, Director of Design for Watchmaking at Cartier.

Barely 100 years old and still ticking as it did on the very first day. Keeping everything from the original, with a singularity that surprises at first glance, making you see things differently as you get closer to it. Available in pink gold, yellow gold, or platinum, it displays all of Cartier’s watchmaking codes: rail tracks, sword-shaped hands, and a closed-set cabochon on the winding crown. It has stayed faithful to the original model’s finishes: satin-finished on the back, polished between the lugs or edges, it is powered by the 1917 MC Manufacture mechanical movement, a calibre created in 2019 with a power reserve of 38 hours. Both unique and surprising, the time can be read by extending the arm, without the need to bring the wrist towards you. Its unconventional case in 18K pink gold, 18K yellow gold, or platinum measures 37.15 mm x 28.75 mm and is equipped with a black or an anthracite alligator strap.

This year, Cartier has chosen to apply one of its watchmaking signatures, the skeleton, to this iconic watch: a true technical feat in the field that involves adapting this complication to the watch’s atypical shape.

Three skeleton models complete this collection. While it showcases the immediacy of an entirely open-worked dial, it required the Manufacture 1917 mechanical movement to be completely reworked into a very fine network of gears, visible through the transparent Roman numerals, now transformed into bridges. It is now known as the 9626 Cartier Manufacture movement. In the platinum version, the winding crown is set with a ruby cabochon.

The 18K yellow gold, 18K pink gold, and platinum references are available in a limited edition of 100 pieces for each metal. The skeleton models in 18K pink gold and in platinum are available in a limited edition of 50 pieces each and the platinum with diamonds in a limited edition of only 20 pieces.

Sticker Price $31,100 USD for platinum and $27,500 USD for yellow or pink gold. Skeleton pieces pricing upon request. For more info on Cartier click here.