Although Cartier is more renowned as a jewelry brand (indeed, perhaps one of the leading ones), its contribution to the art of watchmaking is significant. 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 exceptional personalities.
Undoubtedly, Cartier is best known for its rectangular watches – while it's unlikely such a survey has been conducted, I am certain that if one were, the most prevalent answer to the question "What does a Cartier watch look like?" would be "That square one with the screws." And despite the fact that for the majority of the public Cartier is Tank and Santos, this by no means exhausts the models of this brand.
The “Ballon Bleu” presented today is a representative of a no less iconic series of the brand and with the design of its crown (as if nestled 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 Cartier's model line-up – despite the new design, 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 presented today is from the current model range – the 42 mm version, offered in a steel case with the use of 18-carat yellow gold, with a bimetal bracelet with a deployant clasp and the contemporary 42 mm size.
The case back is solid, and beneath it hides the Cartier Calibre 049 – an automatic movement, based on the ETA 2892-A2, with 28 jewels, a 42-hour reserve, operating at 28,800 vibrations. A workhorse proven in many brands and models, easy to service and inexpensive to repair and maintain – of course, in the case of Cartier, we are talking about the highest quality of the base caliber, which is not only produced under the brand's control but also further finished by its specialists.
