Cartier

The story of Cartier's mystery clock can be dated all the way back to 1912. It would be a 19th century watchmaker and magician, Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin to inspire Louis Cartier, with one of his magic instruments. This particular clock would have two hands suspended weightlessly in the middle of the dial, amusing spectators as it seemingly defy the laws of physics. Louis Cartier would eventually transcend this brilliant idea to his own timepieces.

Moving forward one hundred years, the tradition of the Cartier mystery clock would be preserved through contemporary mechanical watches, and the present Rotonde de Cartier is an outstanding example. Not only is it crafted with palladium, the offset dial contains the mystery feature with two sapphire discs, each containing one hand, propelled by gears around the edge to create this illusive sensation. The caliber 9983 is splendidly skeletonized to exposed the movement with 192 components. An iconic marvel of Cartier, the present watch embodies the timeless innovation and mechanical elegance of the brand.