Cartier Calibre de Cartier: Discussion, and Gen vs. Rep Photo Comparison

[honeybear 0]

Description of the Gen

 

Reproduced from: http://cartier.watchprosite.com/show-forum.../ti-615766/s-0/

 

Launched at SIHH 2010, the Calibre de Cartier is a sharp departure from Cartier’s other lines. Conceived entirely as a sports, or at least sporty, men’s watch, the Calibre is aimed at a segment in which Cartier has yet to establish a significant presence.

 

 

Cartier has made sports watches thorough its storied past. The watch designed for the Pasha of Marrakesh to swim with was a notable early waterproof watch while the Santos was designed as an aviator’s watch. But because of their refined aesthetics neither of these watches or their descendants can truly be regarded as sports watch in the modern sense of the term.

 

More recently Cartier has presented watches like the Roadster and 21 Chronoscaph, as well as the Pasha Seatimer which features a rotating elapsed time bezel. Last year saw Cartier unveil one of its most aesthetically radical watches, the Santos 100 coated in black ADLC. All of these watches, however, are derivatives of existing designs.

 

In contrast, the Calibre de Cartier is a wholly new design, conceived for a particular segment. It is not a diver’s watch like the Rolex Sea-Dweller, nor a pilot’s watch like the IWC Mark XVI; instead it is the kind of watch that is entirely suitable for daily wear to the office and perhaps to the gym. It is, in short, a type of watch that caters to a very broad market.

 

 

Yet this watch is hardly bland or generic. While the Calibre de Cartier retains design flourishes that are identified with Cartier, like the sword hands and sapphire in the crown, it looks and feels very different from any Cartier that has come before, primarily due to its large and sculpted case.

 

 

But what’s inside the new case is equally significant. The Calibre de Cartier uses a new in-house calibre, the 1904 MC, a simple and robust movement with evident potential for production on a large scale. Coupled with its US$6500 retail price, it puts the Calibre in a strong position relative to others in this price range.

 

 

 

Description of the Replica

 

I just received this Calibre de Cartier replica from Robert. It seems nicely made, and very substantial. A few quick observations:

 

1. The crystal on the front is domed and appears to be sapphire (by the water drop test). The display caseback is mineral glass.

2. The links have screws (small, and easy to lose, ask me how I know...) on each side, and a bar in between, with two half links for adjustment. I removed 1.5 links to fit my 6.75" wrist.

3. The date is very slightly obscured by the arrow in the middle of the date aperture when looking at the watch face on.

4. The hands are lumed (very weak), and only the four indices at 12, 3, 6, and 9 on the chapter ring are lumed.

5. The rehaut is fluted, like the gen.

6. There is no AR on the sapphire crystal, unlike the gen.

 

Compared to the ETA version from the cartel, the petite seconds subdial appears to be more correctly placed, as it is not supposed to intersect the chapter ring. The movement in the display caseback is a clear tell, but I guess the same could be said of the ETA movement, although a silver colored sandblasted asian 21j movement might have been less glaring than the gold tone 21j movement that this watch has.

 

The most significant difference, apart from the movement, is the case height. The replica has a higher case, and the dimensions of the crown guard and the lugs appear to have been scaled proportionately. From the photo comparison, you'll see that the lugs have larger curvature on the replica, and the crown guards are thicker as well. The lugs on the gen have a beveled edge which is polished, and on the replica, both the bevel and the polish are much less pronounced.

 

Photo Comparison

 

The gen photos that follow are from this article:

 

http://www.ablogtoread.com/cartier-calibre...-with-bracelet/

 

I have tried to pose my replica in a similar position, so that it is easier to make a comparison. The gen has the black dial, and the rep has the white dial. I did not compare the deployant clasp, but it appears to have been accurately reproduced on the rep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 26, 2011 by honeybear

[wat44 0]

homage:

 

[honeybear 0]

homage:

 

 

Hi watt44, I used to have that exact watch, but it was a bit too big for me. Actually, when I ordered it from Tao International, I didn't realize it was 46mm across, so I was quite taken aback when it arrived. It's a really nice watch, but just a bit too big for me to pull off, and ended up selling it on WUS. I kind of miss it, and it's a pity that it's no longer available on Tao International.

 

I actually added a part to the article on RWI, in response to your comment.

 

Homages

 

There is a homage to the Tourbillon version of the Calibre de Cartier from Tao International, but it is a faux tourbillon, which is essentially an open heart (exposed balance wheel) movement, with a petite seconds pointer that mimics the look of a tourbillon cage. This particular watch is huge, at around 46mm across.

 

Homage from Tao International

 

Gen

Edited September 26, 2011 by honeybear

[powderfreak 0]

Thanks, that's a great comparison! I am not really a fan of those Catiers, but at least from the level of replication it seems to be pretty good. Enjoy it

[Farminho 0]

nice review! I've been eyeing up the black face version from Robert!

[diggs 0]

thanks for this ... it will definitely help with my decision

[Ollifl 0]

Good writeup, I ordered mine a while back and waiting to see myself how it looks on my wrist.

[honeybear 0]

This is a photo of the replica in bright natural light.

 

 

Some additional comparison photos.

 

 

 

 

[SeanusMaximus 0]

Not a bad looker, its just a shame the crown looks like a spare Meccano nut.....

[Ollifl 0]

Not a bad looker, its just a shame the crown looks like a spare Meccano nut.....

 

 

Think I should be able to find one that fits

 

[SeanusMaximus 0]

Not a bad looker, its just a shame the crown looks like a spare Meccano nut.....

 

 

Think I should be able to find one that fits

 

 

[Ollifl 0]

Ot maybe I'll start modding an put a star sapphire on it.... Need to re cut it a little first, but it would be different

 

[SeanusMaximus 0]

Ot maybe I'll start modding an put a star sapphire on it.... Need to re cut it a little first, but it would be different

 

 

Then maybe a zebra print strap and neons?

[Ollifl 0]

Or the blue stra that I found the other day :P

[SeanusMaximus 0]

Or the blue stra that I found the other day

 

:P

 

NOOOOOOOO!

[Caliper 0]

Great comparison, thanks for sharing

BTW, the datewheel and subdial font are different from the gen too on the Calibre.

[Pepp 0]

Great review! I love Cartier watches.

[myaz 3]

Thanks for a great review. There's a whole lotta work that went into it, not apparent from a casual glance, not until you try to write one yourself.

[SirDomino 0]

So there is no GEN option for a white dial?

 

Also, what is the blue jewel made of? Is it plastic? glass?

 

Great Review! Thanks!

[honeybear 0]

The gen is also available in white, I just couldn't find the extensive photos of the white dialed version to do the comparison of. If I had to guess, the blue cabochon is glass, but I'm not absolutely certain.

[pocheche 0]

Hi, im looking for one like honeybear one. Love finish of TaoInternational (

) or this one (

) used to sell rocio3010rgv from mercadolibre mexico. Honybear yours is amacing, I will like on withe dial and with brown strap. Do you think japanese miyota good enough? I mean for real life, no a watch purist, becouse eta movement goes to far with price for my poquet. Well want to buy once, but im pretty sure it woudn becouse I start to love watches. Well thanks a lot.