Yet, another two of those ladies' timepieces from Cartier that we just need to feature no matter what. We are talking about the new Cartier Panthers and Colibri —Panthères et Colibri— and the new Cartier Mysterious Panther —Panthère Mystérieuse— new high jewellery watches released at the SIHH 2016 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. Since its first appearance on a ladies’ wristwatch in 1914, the panther has become an icon and classic symbol of Cartier timepieces. The emblem of a confident femininity freed from every convention, it has given an added air of sophisticated elegance to everything it touches. With the new SIHH 2016 Cartier Panthères et Colibri watch and the Panthère Mystérieuse watch —at the bottom of this article—, Cartier’s iconic animal now makes its mark on the world of ladies’ watch complications. Since 2014, Cartier has been committed to the mission of preserving, sharing and enhancing rare skills and original technical initiatives. This bold challenge was born from the desire to reinvent, share and perpetuate these skills.

While the new Cartier Panthères et Colibri features a power reserve indicator on demand, the new Cartier Panthère Mystérieuse features the iconic Cartier mysterious hour time telling feat, powered by a movement with superimposed sapphire crystals that create an optical illusion as if the hour and minute hands were literally floating on the dial. On the dial of the Panthères et Colibri watch, a panther lies resting with a hummingbird depicted alongside. The spectacle is truly charming until the winding-crown is pressed and a baby panther in 18K rose gold comes from underneath its mother and the 18K rose gold hummingbird flies to the top in an arch to indicate the power reserve left on the watch's movement.

In this new in-house calibre 9915 MC, the time remaining until the watch needs rewinding is indicated by the breadth of the bird’s flight. The aesthetic is exquisite and the decoration refined: the black diamond-studded background of the dial features an intricate wild grass motif. The fully gem set bezel adds a contrasting halo of light.

The case in 18K white gold measuring 42.75 mm in diameter is set with 314 brilliant-cut diamonds, fitted with a beaded crown set with a diamond and equipped with a black alligator strap with double adjustable folding clasp in 18K white gold set with 43 brilliant-cut
diamonds.

The profile of the feline stands out by its volume, with its diamond set coat and black lacquer spots. This is where all Cartier’s talent is revealed, in its ability to transpose a watch complication to the register of an imaginary, feminine universe so as all the better to convey this tender scene between a mother and her cub. The 18K white gold dial is set with 11 brilliant-cut diamonds and a panther motif in 18K white gold set with 270 brilliant-cut diamonds. The panther's eye consists of a pear-shaped emerald and coat spots in black lacquer.

The in-house manual wound calibre 9915 MC powering the new Cartier Panthères et Colibri is fully visible via the display case back. This movement features 49 jewels, 367 parts and provides a power reserve of 3 days while beating at a frequency of 28,800 vph.

Sticker Price 169,000 Euros. For more info on Cartier click here.

Cartier Panthère Mystérieuse

The new SIHH 2016 Cartier Panthère Mystérieuse features the iconic Cartier mysterious hour time telling feat, powered by a movement with superimposed sapphire crystals that create an optical illusion as if the hour and minute hands were literally floating on the dial. An authentic work of three-dimensional jewellery sculpture, the feline, with its coat of diamonds and black lacquer spots, is curled around the dial. With its head, paws and emerald eyes, the realism of the likeness is all the more striking because of the contrast with the transparent dial on which the hands float in suspension, activated by the invisible calibre 9981 MC. This watch features a spectacular volume and sophisticated decorative jewellery work, returning to the interaction of transparency and harmony typical of this iconic Cartier complication, inaugurated in 1912 with the Model A mystery clock, the first of a long line of mystery timepieces. Veritable “miracles of timekeeping”, in the words of La Gazette du Bon Ton, capable of freeing time from the weight of the physical world. A mystery movement and the panther motif: the new SIHH 2016 Cartier Panthère Mystérieuse, which has the double advantage of combining two Cartier icons, revels in the impact of the Maison’s signature aesthetic.

The new Cartier Panthère Mystérieuse watch is fitted with an 18K white gold and black
lacquer case measuring 40 mm in diameter and set with 8 brilliant-cut diamonds around the bezel. The crown is set with 37 brilliant-cut diamonds, while the panther sculpture is made of 18K white gold set with 533 brilliant-cut diamonds and eyes set with two pear-shaped emeralds. The watch comes with a black alligator strap with double adjustable clasp in 18K white gold set with 43 brilliant-cut diamonds. The in-house manual wound calibre 9981 MC is composed of 158 parts, 27 jewels and provides a power reserve of 48 hours when fully wound while beating at a frequency of 28,800 vph.

Sticker Price 155,000 Euros. For more info on Cartier click here.