Every year, the Cartier Libre collection explores the Maison’s repertoire of signature-shaped watches. A candid look that revisits and shakes up codes, revealing the wealth of inspiration found in Cartier’s watchmaking repertoire of shapes through unique creations. “This collection, a balance between measure and excess, cannot be categorised. Hence its name: Cartier Libre.” Pierre Rainero, Director of Image, Style and Heritage at Cartier.
For this third opus of the Cartier Libre collection, the Studio designers have chosen to combine signature shapes from the Cartier watchmaking repertoire with iconic animals from the Maison’s menagerie. Baignoire/Tortue, Tortue/Serpent: a duo of precious watches is thus born, unexpected and enhanced encounters are interpreted though extravagant and highly jewelled creations.
Behind the excessive shapes lies meticulous design. Purity of the line, precise proportions and precious details, Cartier’s unique vision of design is expressed through these watches, questioning the established order of things and making watchmaking and jewellery shine with the same radiance in a twist of madness and freedom. “Because Cartier is above all a jeweller, our creations transcend all categories. They are not just instruments for telling the time, nor are they simply jewellery. They are a third type of object with their own uniqueness. Cartier watches only resemble themselves.” – Marie-Laure Cérède, Director of Design for Watchmaking at Cartier.
A strong creative dynamic based on the Maison’s founding values. Cartier has long been committed to continuous improvement, to guarantee responsible procurement and to taking steps to develop the best practices in the industry. Constantly pioneering, the Maison co-founded the Responsible Jewellery Council in 2005, which endeavours to abide by responsible practices, from the mines all the way to the point of sale. A decade on, Cartier reaffirms this commitment by collaborating with the industry and relevant countries’ governments, and by actively participating in the creation of the Coloured Gemstones Working Group, an international entity that seeks to improve the sourcing of coloured stones as well as guaranteeing their provenance and responsible production.
The Baignoire watch and its tortoise decor
Cartier Libre has taken the aesthetic heritage of the Baignoire released in 2019 and revisits the entire dial to give it a new identity. A Baignoire watch that takes inspiration from a tortoise, a signature Cartier creation that frees itself from formal wisdom in order to transform. Using materials that evoke a shell, Cartier contrasts the smoothness of buff-top stones with the graininess of diamond paving to reveal an animal: a tortoise.
A dial with random diamond paving, playful anthracite and black lines, a geometric composition with a scale motif, a case lined with a stripe of buff-top tsavorites, buff-topped sapphires inside the dial and on the corners of three central hexagons – the watch displays its aptitude for transformation.
A limited edition of 30 individually numbered watches.
The Tortue watch and its snake decoration
Created in 1912, the Tortue watch is the result of intense research on pared-down simplicity. A fixed idea at Cartier that gives rise to this model with its unique shape and a case constructed around two large curves.
This new Cartier Libre edition brings this watchmaking classic to life with a refreshing change of scenery. Adorned here with scale motifs, ringed curves that glide along a light background of bluish or light grey shades. Represented through a multitude of details and playful materials, the serpent is both present and subtly suggested.
Black or coral-coloured enamel, mother-of-pearl with water tones, all brightened by drops of polished gold and closed-set diamonds on the case and the winding crown.
A limited edition of 30 individually numbered watches.
Cartier Libre Technical Specifications
CARTIER LIBRE BAIGNOIRE TURTLE WATCH
32.39 x 25.47 mm, thickness: 7.57 mm
18K rhodium-finish white gold
Case, dial and buckle set with 171 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.74 ct),
18 sapphires and 24 tsavorites
Navy blue alligator leather strap
Numbered limited edition of 30 pieces
Quartz movement
CARTIER LIBRE TORTUE SNAKE WATCH
31 x 39 mm, thickness: 6.73 mm
18K rhodium-finish white gold
Case, dial and buckle set with 130 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.72 ct)
and blue and white mother-of-pearl
Black alligator leather strap
Numbered limited edition of 30 pieces
Manufacture mechanical movement with manual winding 430 MC
Encasing diameter: 9 lines
Total dimension: 20.5 mm
Thickness: 2.15 mm
Number of jewels: 18
Frequency: 21,600 vibrations/hour
Power reserve: 38 hours
Cartier Libre Gallery
