Cartier Ballon Bleu de Cartier Diamonds

Despite the fact that Cartier is more known as a jewelry brand (perhaps one of the leading ones, in fact), its contribution to the art of watchmaking is not insignificant. The very fact that the brand's Santos model proudly bears the title of "the first men's wristwatch" is one of the facts confirming the reputation of the brand's watchmaking division. Most of the series are created based on an exceptional story, journey, or encounters with extraordinary individuals. Undoubtedly, Cartier are best known for their rectangular watches – it is unlikely such a survey has been conducted, but I am sure that if one were, to the question "What does a Cartier watch look like?" the most prevalent answer would be "That square one with the screws." And despite the fact that for the majority of the public Cartier is the Tank and the Santos, the models of this brand are by no means limited to these. The presented “Ballon Bleu” is part of a no less iconic series of the brand and with the design of its crown (as if cradled in a water balloon) has the honor of carrying the Cartier DNA no less than the other series. The series was first launched in 2007 and is one of the "youngest" in the Cartier model line – despite the new design, which is unlike other models, it carries the brand's classic design - a dial with Roman numerals, a circular inner scale, blued-steel sword-shaped hands, and a sapphire cabochon proudly crowning the crown. The historical heritage, the brand's reputation, and the unconventional design make the models of the series some of the most beloved by famous historical figures and contemporary "drivers of modern taste and fashion." The watch is from the current model range – the 36 mm version, offered in a steel case, with a metal bracelet with a deployant clasp. Undoubtedly, the most impressive feature in this case is the rich decoration of the watch – the bezel is encrusted with 54 high-quality diamonds with a total weight of 0.78 carats, and 21 diamonds with a total weight of 0.19 carats are set on the dial. The case back is solid, and underneath it lies the brand's in-house movement, the Cartier Calibre 1847 MC – an automatic with 23 jewels, a power reserve of 42 hours, and operating at 28,800 vibrations.