Cartier

The Rotonde de Cartier Mysterious Double Tourbillon pays tribute to Cartier’s historic mastery of illusion and mechanics, tracing its lineage to the Maison’s celebrated mystery clocks of the early 20th century. Conceived by Louis Cartier and master horologist Maurice Coüet , the first mystery clock, the Model A of 1912, became a symbol of Cartier’s technical and artistic ingenuity.

Reinterpreting that concept for the wrist, the present timepiece showcases a tourbillon that appears to float freely within the dial. In reality, the cage is mounted on a transparent sapphire disc with a toothed rim, driven by hidden gearing beneath the dial.

The in-house Calibre 9454 MC, composed of 242 components and certified with the Geneva Seal, orchestrates the “double tourbillon” display: the tourbillon cage rotates once per minute on its axis, while the entire sapphire disc completes one revolution every five minutes. The result is a hypnotic visual performance of motion and balance.

Encased in an impressive 45 mm platinum case fully set with approximately 17.57 carats of baguette-cut diamonds, the watch represents Cartier’s dual heritage as “the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers.”

The model had an original retail price of over 532,000 CHF. One of only 20 examples produced, the present watch, numbered 6, stands among the most dazzling expressions of Cartier’s modern horological art.