Pre SIHH 2015: Introducing the Rotonde De Cartier Astrotourbillon Skeleton Watch Calibre 9461 MC

02/12/2014 | By Frank Geelen | 2 min read |

Next month the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (short: SIHH) starts again and that marks one of the most important weeks in a year, for the horological industry. Today we’re already showing you the Rotonde de Cartier Astrotourbillon Skeleton Watch Calibre 9461MC, Cartier’s latest horological masterpiece, which will officially be introduced during the SIHH. This is one of Cartier most spectacular timepieces, and now they have skeletonized it to the max. A feast for the eye and a magnificent accomplishment from Cartier’s watchmakers.

Not too long ago, in 2008 to be precise, Cartier became quite serious about watchmaking. In fact they became really serious about watchmaking; something that we covered here. The very elegant Collection Privée Cartier Paris (CPCP) – a collection that we here at Monochrome just love – was phased out and in came the big guns, horological big guns that is. In that year Cartier introduced the Fine Watchmaking collection and the new Rotonde de Cartier Astrotourbillon Skeleton Watch Calibre 9461MC is part of that collection.

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What we see here, is a small mechanical hand-wound movement, that is held in place by a skeletonized Roman 12 and 6. The regulating organ rotates around the movement in one minute. Where a classical tourbillon rotates around its own axis, the astrotourbillon rotates around the entire movement and becomes, together with the skeletonized XII and VI, part of the watch’ design.

Typical for the Cartier Fine Watchmaking collection: creative and innovative, from both a technical and an aesthetic perspective.

The new Rotonde de Cartier Astrotourbillon Skeleton watch is a limited edition of 100 pieces. It comes in a 47mm large 18-carat white gold case, which is 15.5 mm thick. The iconic Cartier crown, beaded and set with a blue sapphire cabochon, allows the owner to set the time, and to wind the movement. When fully wound, the Rotonde de Cartier Astrotourbillon watch has approx. 48 hours of autonomy.