Launched in 1998 as a part of the Collection Privée Cartier Paris, or
CPCP for short, this rare, manual-winding, 18K white gold Cartier Tortue
Monopoussoir (Ref. 2396) is part of a series
of mechanical watches based on historic Cartier designs The CPCP
showed watch connoisseurs what Cartier was capable of producing at a
time when the brand was known for producing quartz based time pieces.
Most models in the CPCP were designed for the men’s market and were
available between 1998 and 2008 in very limited numbers using mechanical
movements from external suppliers, until the Fine Watchmaking
Collection was introduced using movements developed in-house.
A
reference point in the history of modern watchmaking, the Calibre 045MC
that powers the Tortue Monopoussoir was produced by THA Èbauche. Founded
in 1996, THA was a collaborative movement manufacture by Vianney
Halter, Denis Flageollet (founder of De Bethune), and François-Paul
Journe, before their respective brands became household names. With this
illustrious collection of watchmakers involved there is little surprise
that the Calibre 045MC is such a work of art, both technically and
visually.
Used only for the various Cartier Tortue Monopoussoir
models, the Tank Monopoussoir and the De Bethune Monopoussoir, Calibre
045MC has a lever escapement and the balance beats at 21,600 A/h. Using a
clutch system, the motion of the second wheel of the base movement to
the chronograph’s central wheel in the Calibre 045MC is activated by a
double swivel pin, removing the ‘jolt’ of the seconds hand that often
takes place in chronographs operated by a lateral clutch. The resulting
smooth operation of the hand gliding across the dial is as beautiful as
the movement itself, finished to perfection and visible through an
ellipse sapphire exhibition case back.
A modern-style guilloche dial replaces the design of the original
model from 1928, with the blued steel ‘Breguet' style hands and inky
blue minute track with contrasting pale grey numerals providing
effortless Cartier elegance and a vintage feel. The traditional Cartier
sapphire is also now set in the octagonal winding crown rather than
solid gold, as well as a larger and thicker case, measuring 43x35mm with
a thickness of 10mm.