The classic Tortue Monopoussoir* was introduced in 1999, as a part of the Collection Privée Cartier Paris, in three differing case-metals: white gold, yellow gold, and pink gold. Each bears its own vintage-inspired dial, with a mechanical movement developed by some of independent watchmaking’s finest.
Cartier Collection Privée
So, what did the Collection Privée Cartier Paris stand for? Digging into its rich archives, the jeweller recreated some of its most iconic pieces, many of which had been ignored for several decades.
This spanned from their more classic designs – such as the Tank or Santos – to more obscure ones, such as their Tank Monopoussoir Chronograph, which was first produced as a unique piece in 1935. Due to the prolific output of the early Cartier workshops, there was plenty to build on for the collection. There’s no exact figure for how many different models were produced, but we were able to find at least eight different executions of the Tortue, which gives you a sense how many different expressions were imagined.
Beyond its dedication to recreating iconic designs, the Collection Privée also displayed a renewed focus on what lay behind the caseback. Having long relied on quartz technology sourced externally, Cartier did not possess the watchmaking know-how or facilities to create high-quality movements. As such, they relied on a range of specialised manufacturers who supplied the French jeweller with manual-winding, time-only calibres, while also helping them develop a range of complications, from jump hours to monopusher chronographs.
Though the idea of in-house watchmaking has gained traction in recent times, relying on external suppliers has long been the favoured approach for those looking for high-quality movements. Until recently, even Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin still used a Lemania 2310 base for their chronographs.
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