CARTIER. A FINE AND VERY RARE 18K WHITE GOLD AND DIAMOND-SET LIMITED EDITION TOURBILLON WRISTWATCH WITH AGATE DIAL

Founded in 1847, the success of Cartier resides in their daring and utterly original sense of style and design, innovating with new materials and themes. In the 2013 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), Cartier introduced the Cartier Métiers d'Art limited edition series. The watches are fitted with dials adorned with animals using the most unusual materials such as marquetry wood, straw, cameo and enamel. This series with their enchanting dials pay tribute to techniques and skills from the past as well as newly developed techniques by Cartier. The originality of the design lies in the contrast of the highly technical flying tourbillon escapement with the ancient technique of the cameo. The dial of the present Rotonde De Cartier, numbered 18 out of a limited edition of 20, is decorated with the cameo of a crocodile. Using the natural gradations of blue and white of the agate, the engraver skillfully captures the expressiveness of the head of body of a crocodile emerging from the water. The sculpting of the crocodile on the agate requires extreme precision and perfect knowledge of the stone as well as the anatomy of the animal. The Métiers d'Art collection epitomizes the perfect combination of Nature and Machine and is a true display of artisty in high horology.