The Top Five Cartier Watches of 2016

2016 has been an eventful year for some of the top luxury watch brands. Among other popular watch brands, Maison Cartier has released new impressive watches that have proven that the French style has not lost its touch. The watch brand has released a wide range of watches, from out-right opulent watches to those that inspire power and mystique. Five Cartier watches, in particular, have caught the market’s attention thanks to their exceptional quality. Here is a review of the top five Cartier watches of 2016.

Cartier Panthere et Colibri

Cartier, unlike most other luxury watches in its category, is not all about men’s watches. In fact, one of its best watches for 2016 is made exclusively for the ladies: the Cartier Panthere et Colibri. This watch is all about luxury and elegance, and it is indeed the envy of every lady with a taste for time pieces. The Cartier Panthere et Colibri gives more priority to beauty than time keeping. To this end, both the bezel and dial feature numerous gems and diamonds. To start with, the bezel is fully diamond-set to give it a shiny and sleek appearance and yet a rugged feel. The black dial, on the other hand, prominently features an image of a panther composed of diamonds, a golden hummingbird illustrated flying, and several dotted diamonds in between the filigrees of wild plants.

The magic, however, does not end there. When pressed, the crown activates an animation movement that depicts the hummingbird flying away and a golden baby panther emerging beneath the diamond encrusted panther. In total, the dial features 11 brilliantly cut diamonds while the bezel features 314 diamonds. It is not all about looks, however, as the Cartier Panthere el Colibri also tells time like any other watch; it features simple hour and minute hands at the top left position of the dial, and it also comes with a power reserve. This watch, however, is not for everyone as it costs about $156,000.

Cartier Caliber 9462 MC

Cartier has finally miniaturized its ‘mystery clock’ technology and offered it in a flashy wrist watch in the name of Rotonde de Cartier Astromysterieux Caliber 9462 MC. This watch has taken extra-ordinary skills to make; in fact, the watch’s design is so exclusive that it holds three patents to its name. The most notable aspect of this watch is the seemingly floating central tourbillon cage with four organs. The brand gives this watch’s lucky owners an exceptional view of its manual wind 408 part movement as well as its caliber 9462 MC Astromysterieux complication. The hour and minute hands are positioned right on top of this spectacular view, in turn also making them look as if they are floating.

The Rotonde de Cartier Astromysterieux Caliber 9462 MC also features a central escapement designed in an elongated shape which moves around the dial once every hour. Thanks to its unique design, the central escapement takes on the appearance of a heavenly body floating in space. Consequently, as you may imagine, this watch has been on the top agenda for luxury watch enthusiasts all over the world. However, this will be a watch for a select few as only 100 pieces will be made.

Cartier Caliber 9612 MC

The Cle de Cartier collection of watches was released in 2015, but it took a whole new turn this year with the release of the Caliber 9612 MC. This new watch has a total of 165 parts, and, as you may imagine, its interior is truly impressive. The dial is replaced by over-sized roman numerals that not only make it easy to tell time but also offer a sneak-peak view of the movement. The back case is also transparent, and this allows sufficient light in to observe much of the 165-part caliber 9621 MC. And, as if the skeleton design is not complicated enough,

Cartier decided to include an automatic movement in spite of the rotor. What’s more, it features a 48-hours power reserve to ensure you are never out of touch with the times. The Caliber 9612 MC is made of palladium, and it is complemented with elegant and comfortable leather wrist straps. What’s more, it comes with a fat price tag to match; this watch is priced at about $61,000, and it is worth every dollar.

Cartier Flying Tourbillon

The Drive de Cartier is an all-new collection of watches designed for watch lovers who not only appreciate style but also have a soft spot for cars. All the watches in this collection come in pink gold or steel, but they come in three different versions powered by different calibers. What’s more, each watch in this collection features a sapphire crystal back that is transparent to give its owners a view of the complicated movements. However, of all the watches in the collection, it is the Flying Tourbillon that stands out. It features a fabulous haute horology, and it even holds the Poincon de Genève certification as proof of its fine craftsmanship. It also features manual winding, and it comes fitted with the 9452 MC caliber.

The dial, on the other hand, features an appearance like a radiator grill; it also features a counter at the 6 o’clock position, a domed crystal, and a winding crown. To top it all off, the watch features fine alligator straps that hold in firmly and comfortable in place. This watch is an exceptional time piece, and its price tag reveals just how much work goes into making it; it is priced at $89,500.

Drive de Cartier Large Date

This is another Cartier watch in the collection of Drive de Cartier collection of watches. It is nothing like the Drive de Cartier Flying Tourbillon, but shares much of the opulence and elegance while also introducing several unique features. To start with, it features a cushion-shaped case that has a taut linear design similar to that of exotic cars. It also features a day and night indicator unlike the other watches in the collection. And, to top it off, it offers a reclining second time-zone display with a large date window. This watch comes in two versions: a stainless steel version that goes for $8,750 and a pink-gold version that sells for $22,700.