A New Case for Cartier’s Astrocalendaire

The Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire watch transforms the very essence of the perpetual calendar’s function and appearance. The maison’s idea involves inventing a creative central display that stems from a revolutionary concept.

Incredibly Easy to Read: Designed like an amphitheater, with the intention of clarifying the perpetual calendar’s indications, the Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire’s display is an incredible watchmaking feat. It overcomes numerous readability issues that are specific to the traditional approach to this complication, which requires the juxtaposition of 12 months, seven days, the date and the type of year in a diameter of just a few centimeters.

A view of the C-shaped flying tourbillon.

Arranged three-dimensionally in concentric levels, the display of the perpetual calendar’s functions is spread over the different levels: the day is indicated on the first. It is followed by the month on the second, which is itself surmounted by the date. Thin windows move along these tiers. The perpetual calendar’s final function is indicated by a hand located on the back of watch and shows what type of year it is: a leap year or a normal year.

A Technical Breakthrough: Consisting of gear trains, the construction of the Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire watch’s movement is a watchmaking feat that solves all the functional and ergonomic problems connected with this type of complication. It breaks away from the design of traditional perpetual calendars and introduces an alternative that enables any risk of breakage to be anticipated, adjustment errors to be resolved and chronometry to be improved.

Anticipating Risk of Breakage: Partially patented, the gear train system of the Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire’s 9459 MC movement replaces the traditional lever and spring mechanisms with a gear train mechanism that substantially limits the risk of breakage when the watch is over-wound at inadvisable times. The traditional design of a perpetual calendar prohibits any manual correction several hours before and after midnight at the risk of breaking the mechanism. The adjustments made using four minuscule push-pieces on the side of the case are impractical and never clearly identified.

Cartier will limit production to just 30 numbered pieces.

This operating problem no longer exists with the Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire watch’s movement thanks to a setting system that uses the crown. In addition to the traditional setting of the hour and minute, the crown also controls the date and month indicators.

This ease of use is further increased by the possibility of correcting the functions both forwards and backwards. Wearers of the Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire watch no longer need fear going beyond the current date as this error is easily corrected.

Masterful Chronometry: The Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire watch houses at its heart a flying tourbillon: a complication that is emblematic of the Fine Watchmaking collection.

Poinçon de Genève: The Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire watch is certified Poinçon de Genève, in accordance with the regulations’ requirements. The self-winding caliber 9459 MC is assembled and adjusted in the new Cartier Fine Watchmaking workshops located in the heart of Geneva, upstairs from the Cartier boutique on the rue de Rhône. Its finishes were carried out according to the standards of the most prestigious watchmaking certification.

Combining watchmaking innovation and technical creativity, the Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire watch follows in the footsteps of the Rotonde de Cartier Astrorégulateur and Rotonde de Cartier Astrotourbillon watches, thus taking its place as a major complication in Cartier’s repertoire of watchmaking craftsmanship.

Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire

Technical Specifications

Limited edition of 30 individually numbered pieces

Case

• 18-karat rose gold
  
• Dimensions: 45mm
  
• Crown: beaded set with a blue sapphire cabochon
  
• Sapphire crystal and caseback
  
• Thickness: 15.10mm
  
• Water-resistance: 30 meters
  

Movement

• Caliber 9459 MC
  
• Manufacture mechanical movement with automatic winding,
  
• Astrocalendaire perpetual calendar with circular display, flying tourbillon
  
• Certified Poinçon de Genève
  
• Number of jewels: 51
  
• Number of parts: 382
  
• Frequency: 21,600 vibrations/hour
  
• Power reserve: 50 hours minimum
  

Dial

• 18-karat white gold guilloché sunray motif
  
• Hands: sword-shaped in blued steel
  

Strap

• Gray alligator leather strap
  
• Buckle: folding clasp in 18-karat rose gold