Cartier Showcases Watches ahead of 2019 SIHH

The new Privé Tonneau time-only watch and Tonneau Skeleton Dual Time Zone timepieces both revive the legendary tonneau (or ‘barrel’) design that made its original debut in 1906.

The two pieces are a part of the brand’s new Cartier Privé collection that was launched at SIHH 2018. The Cartier Privé line is also a nod to the Collection Privée Cartier Paris line, which included high-end mechanical watches that were produced for a decade starting in 1998.

First of the two is the Tonneau Watch Large Model single-time which takes its inspiration from the first tonneau model introduced in 1906 and is available in either platinum (limited to 100 pieces) or pink gold.

The timepiece features a brilliant brushed finish on the dial, with raised Romain numerals and blued steel Breguet hands. It is powered by a small, in-house caliber developed primarily for ladies’ watches and offering a power reserve of 38 hours.

The second watch,  the Cartier Privé Tonneau Skeleton Dual Time, is essentially an update of 2006’s Tonneau XL dual time model. It boasts two independent time displays, however, unlike the original, which had two movements, this version is powered by a single in-house 9919 MC, with a 60-hour power reserve.

The crown at two o’clock is for winding and setting, while the crown at four o’clock is actually a pusher that advances the second time zone on the lower dial in one-hour steps.

The Privé Skeleton Dual Time Zone watch is also available in rose gold and platinum versions, but both are limited to 100 pieces each. An additional 20 numbered pieces will be available in baguette-cut diamond-set platinum.

The watches will be on display at SIHH in Geneva from 14-17 January, when pricing will also be announced.