Santos-Dumont XL décor cheval

Cartier d’Art: a devotion to the artistic crafts, ever richer and more complex

The artistic crafts have always been at the heart of the Cartier story, allowing the demands of artisans to dictate the introduction of new skills, materials and techniques in watchmaking.

These crafts are at the root of unique pieces fashioned in the hushed, intimate atmosphere of workshops, where talented artists devote themselves entirely to the task of creation and to the culmination of their fastidious efforts.

Each of these efforts is marked by the same refinement, the same exploration of forms, volumes and colours, the desire to create inspired watches whose every detail is a badge of true dedication.

A privileged dialogue emerges, a continuous exchange between the constraints of watchmaking and traditional and revived techniques. Curiosity asserts itself, driven by a burning devotion to the rare, seminal skills of these crafts.

The creative and technical challenge is once more accepted and overcome by expertise and unrelenting passion that, in the midst of this arduous task, reveal the force of its precision and perfection.

Santos-Dumont XL watch, white gold,  horse motif, gemstone mosaic

An infinite palette of tesserae achieves a strikingly realistic effect
Gemstone mosaic may just be the latest weapon in Cartier’s creative arsenal. The master watchmaker achieves better than anyone the evocative power, expressiveness and sheer delicacy of the technique.

Earth jasper, Kalahari jasper, grey Madagascar jasper, chocolate obsidian, pink opal: the artisan’s palette comprises an enchanting inventory. This year, two mosaic techniques complement one another in a harmonious blend to achieve a most striking effect, in a play of echo and balance. Tiny miniature squares affixed to the base of the dial are contrasted by the swarm of irregular-shaped tesserae that makes up the horse motif.

The interplay of more than 400 miniscule tesserae delivers depth, relief and an impression of light. Cacholong, cut into irregular-shaped pieces, outlines in relief the head and neck of the thoroughbred. The proud, lively creature appears ready to spring into action. The design is edged in metal piping. The detail of the neck, mane and nose is underlined in hand-engraved gold, and the harness and tassel are painted in red.

Each piece demands no less than 120 hours of work: 50 hours to render the horse and 70 hours to complete the background. This appealing, distinctively styled watch is issued in a limited-edition series of 40 timepieces without stones and just 
ten timepieces set with baguette-cut diamonds.