SIHH 2013 Preview…

In 2013 Cartier will extend its Calibre de Cartier line with a sporty, masculine chronograph featuring an in-house movement from the grand Maison.  The Calibre chronograph retains several of the design cues of the time-only Calibre de Cartier such as the three-date aperture as well as the powerful case design with its prominent crown guards.  The new chronograph will be available in rose gold or steel, with the option of a leather strap with folding buckle or a matching bracelet — a closer look at both, as well as the new 1904-CH MC movement, on the jump.

Calibre de Cartier chronograph watch 1904-CH MC movement

42mm steel or 18k pink gold case, seven-sided crown with faceted sapphire; silvered opaline dial, snailed in part, with snailed chrono counters (hour/minute) with gold or steel bevel

The fluted minute track that is engraved on the inner rim of the bezel is again present, as is the partially snailed dial finish (the outer dial segment) — both of these among the finer details which help make this watch special:

Here is the rose gold version:

Inside the watch is a new manufacture movement, the Cartier 1904-CH.  It is an automatic with a column wheel-based chronograph running at 4Hz and lots of Côtes de Genève finishing.

While some find the movement of the Calibre de Cartier to be visually appealing in terms of this decor, I must say that I wish they would have done something different with the rotor.  As you can see, the Côtes de Genève striping on the rotor is also on the mainplates of the movement.  I think that something more distinctive is in order here — at least something to distinguish the rotor from the rest of the movement.

Official unveiling is January 2013 at the annual SIHH show in Geneva.  Stay tuned for more then.