The Tortue Watch: A Perpetually Reinvented Timepiece

Cartier Privé is the annual event for watchmaking enthusiasts.  

Now in its eighth edition, this exclusive opus offers a contemporary interpretation of one of the most prestigious watches in the Cartier repertoire: the Tortue watch, created in 1912. It is one of Cartier’s major creations as the watchmaker of shapes. It follows on from the rare watches unveiled in previous years, such as the

Crash, the Tank Cintrée and the Tonneau, all of which have been redesigned with a single ambition in mind: dedicating technique to aesthetics.

This year, Cartier has chosen to introduce the single-button chronograph complication as well as the simple “hours/minutes” versions. 

THE TORTUE, A SIGNATURE OF THE MAISON

The Tortue watch was born in 1912 from a powerful creative vision, namely to create a dialogue between curves and taut lines. The new Tortue is faithful to the original design, but has been subtly reworked. With horns stretched along the strap and a slimmer profile, the watch has flourished and been made lighter. Paying tribute to the very first model, it features apple-shaped hands and a rail-track that follows the iconic shape of the watch around the hour markers, making the dial even easier to read.

THE TORTUE HOURS/ MINUTES VERSION

This new edition of Cartier Privé reveals an hours/minutes version of the Tortue watch in platinum or yellow gold. For the first time in the Cartier Privé collection, there is also a platinum hours/minutes version set with brilliant-cut diamonds available in a limited edition of 50 numbered pieces. On the gold model, the dial has a finely grained golden finish and the winding crown is set with a sapphire cabochon. The strap is made of blue alligator leather and fastens with an ardillon buckle. The Roman numerals on the platinum watches are rhodium-plated. The attention to detail creates a play of contrasts and nuances. The silvered opaline dial and winding crown are enhanced by a brilliant diamond set on the watch, a true jewellery signature, and by a ruby cabochon on the platinum version that creates a chromatic harmony dear to the Maison. Both these models feature a red alligator leather strap that fastens with an ardillon buckle, set with 25 pavé-set diamonds