CARTIER. A VERY FINE PLATINUM MYSTERIOUS TOURBILLON WRISTWATCH

While the tourbillon is well known in horological circles as a device to negate the effects of gravity, with modern manufacturing techniques and lubricates, its ability to increase rate stability versus movements is quite debatable, especially as they have now become so ubiquitous.

As a result it has more often become a canvas to display a maison's artisanal prowess, either through combining it with additional complicates, finishing it to a level that would intrigue even the most seasoned collectors or looking at it from a new angle and putting a “spin” on things.

While mystery clocks have been produced by Cartier for nearly a century, to use this perplexing optical illusion that will fascinate the most curious of minds with a tourbillon is not only an incredible feat of engineering, but one that was only made possible by the genius in Cartier’s design team when the Rotonde de Cartier Mysterious Double Tourbillon was launched in 2013. The double effect is achieved by the cage itself rotating once every 60 seconds, and the glass disc that is mounted on making its own revolution once every five minutes, creating a fascinating dance between the two.