SimplyAbuDhabi IX

I magine a watch equipped with a tourbillon that seems to be suspended in space. That was the challenge taken up by Cartier with its new movement: the 9454 MC Mysterious Double Tourbillon. Certified by the Geneva Seal, the timepiece reveals upon close inspection the magic concealed within the mechanism – the flying Tourbillon, which turns once on its own axis every 60 seconds and appears to be floating completely free in space, with no visible connection to any gear train. The illusion is complete when the same tourbillon cage starts to perform a second rotation at a rate of one turn every five minutes. Imbued with simple, understated yet rich elegance, the Mysterious Double Tourbillon is the quintessence of over a century of mystery creations from the Maison. The result of much research, the 9454MCMysterious Double Tourbillon consists of a cage that performs one complete rotation in the space of just over five minutes. In order to facilitate the final assembly of different components under optimum conditions, Cartier opted for a modular structure. The movement is thus made up of two separate elements: the movement proper, which occupies a crescent-shaped zone on the baseplate, and an independent display module, occupying the circular space left vacant for this purpose. The innovative design of the calibre 9981MC enabled the timepiece to pass all certification tests, including the requirement that it should resist over 500 consecutive impacts, as well as being dropped on to a hard floor from a height of one metre. This movement, with its spellbinding transparency, slimness and accuracy and with a balance oscillating at 4 Hz (28,000 beats per hour), has a power reserve of 48 hours. The timepiece is housed in a platinum case and is set with a sapphire cabochon while the dial is slate-colored, galvanized, guilloche with silvered open- work grill and black transferred Roman numerals. The hands are sword-shaped in blued steel and the strap is in black alligator skin with a double adjustable folding buckle in 18-carat white gold. The Rotonde de Cartier Mysterious Hours watch only shows what Cartier is willing the spectator to see. With its fascinating balancing act, the timepiece easily appears transparent to the last detail. The watch reveals the essential components of its manual-winding, individually numbered mechanical movement through the case-back and thus doesn’t reveal all of its secrets. In the past, Louis Cartier refused to give any explanation of how his mysterious clocks worked to those who sold them, so as not to divulge his creative genius. Today, the mechanism that connects the movement to the hands of the Rotonde de Cartier Mysterious Hours is so designed as to disappear into the structure of the calibre and remain invisible, keeping the artistic illusion alive. 1 1 7 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I