PRE-SIHH: The Cartier Rotonde De Cartier Astrotourbillon Skeleton Watch Calibre 9461 MC

Felix Scholz

At Time+Tide we’ve got a lot of time (pun unavoidable) for the watches of Richemont mega-maison Cartier. They are a brand with an unimpeachable back story that hasn’t stopped them innovating and evolving their designs and aesthetic.

The result is that of all the powerhouse brands (and Cartier is definitely a Richemont powerhouse), Cartier offers some of the most recognizable and interesting designs out there at the moment. And not only this but they take their watch engineering and innovation seriously too.

Which brings us to the Cartier Rotonde De Cartier Astrotourbillon Skeleton Watch Calibre 9461 MC that has just been announced in advance of January’s important Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (aka SIHH). The first thing you notice about this watch is the lack of it. Everything inside the case has been pared back, all the better to show of the tourbillon cage which rotates around the dial, as well as the iconic Cartier XII and VI numerals (which also hold the movement in place). This new, limited edition (of 100 pieces) Rotonde De Cartier piece continues to demonstrate Cartier’s skill at creating good-looking skeleton dials that allow their complicated movements to shine.