Threaded in TIME

At Watches and Wonders 2025, Cartier revives its legacy of jewellery watches with boldness, flair and form.

- By ANANDHI GOPINATH

Cartier has always walked the tightrope between the artistic and the technical with unshakable confidence.

It was never enough to make beautiful watches; they had to feel like Cartier, that elusive mix of rigour and charm. For over a century, the Maison has woven its name into the canon of jewellery watchmaking with a vocabulary of shapes, textures and symbols uniquely its own. From the supple geometry of the Panthère to the optical illusions of the Crash and the architectural resonance of the Tank, Cartier's timepieces have never just told time — they have set the tone. In 2025, at Watches and Wonders, Cartier reasserts this mastery with a suite of new jewellery watches, each one sculpted with intention and finished with exquisite audacity. The Maison’s theme for this year, “A dialogue of materials,” places particular emphasis on surface and substance, spotlighting how gold, diamonds, lacquer and leather are shaped, contrasted and layered to surprising effect.

TRESSAGE

More than a watch, the Tressage is a piece of high jewellery architecture. Its name, derived from the French word for weaving, hints at the aesthetic play of contrast and repetition that runs through the design. The effect is immediate: two twisted cords in gold and diamonds appear to wrap around the wrist, encasing a rectangular dial paved with snow-set stones. There is a sensuality in its asymmetry, a deliberate offsetting of softness and sharpness. One side features rounded yellow gold elements alternating with brilliant-cut diamonds, while the other side is all vertical brancards whose angularity offers an elegant counterweight. A polished leather strap completes the composition.