Purely A Formality

Shaped watches from Cartier are unmistakable—just think about the Tank, the Cloche, and the Crash. Even though these timepieces have gained popularity in recent years, the movements that power them remain largely ignored. We take a look at some of the most fascinating movements inside these shaped watches.

-  Nils Raulien

Cartier has always been wonderfully versatile. The company, established in 1847 and named for its founder, LouisFrançois Cartier, is known worldwide for its jewellery, watches, leather goods, and accessories. The geometric Art Deco style-one of the most important design features of the Cartier brand-runs through the entire product portfolio. For a company to have been so multifaceted as early and as successfully as Cartier is a rarity.

From Jewellery to Pocketwatches to Wristwatches

Maison Cartier was initially opened as a jeweller, but in 1859, the company also began producing and selling pocketwatches. With the entry of Cartier's son, Louis-François-Alfred Cartier, and then later his own sons, the company's focus was directed increasingly on fine watchmaking as early as the 1870s. The horological milestones of the brand in the following decades are likely to be well known to most watch lovers. In addition to the Cartier Santos, which was launched in 1904 as the first pilots' watch, Cartier presented the iconic Tank watch in 1919, and the Cloche just a year later.

Shaped Watches Unite Architecture and Aesthetics

Cartier's most recognisable models are shaped watches whose cases are rectangular or square. This applies to the Santos, the Panthère, and the Tank, which are some of the brand's most popular lines. And even though the striking silhouettes of these shaped watches have long been a Cartier hallmark, it was anything but a given that the company would use numerous shaped movements.

The calculation appears quite simple: If a company offers a wide range of shaped watches, it will need movements that fit inside those individual cases.