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The self-winding 1904-PS MC movement beats at a frequency of 28,800 beats per hour, offers a 48-hour power reserve, and provides the center hour and minute hands, a running seconds subdial, and a date window. The first in-house automatic movement made by Cartier for the Calibre collection was the 1904-PS MC caliber, where “MC” stands for “ Manufacture Cartier” and “PS” represents “petite secondes” or running seconds. And it is was the Calibre de Cartier collection that kicked things off. Therefore, Cartier set out to make in-house watches that could be enjoyed by a much wider audience. However, the Ballon Bleu Flying Tourbillon belongs to the haute horology genre, targeted to a select few. So the introduction of the Ballon Bleu Flying Tourbillon powered by the 9452 MC caliber was Cartier proudly demonstrating that it was ready to start equipping some of their watches with in-house movements. Prior to 2008, Cartier had no history of making manufacture movements, let alone watches with a Geneva Seal. The Cartier Ballon Bleu Flying Tourbillon from 2008 It signifies that the entire watch was not only made in Geneva but that it passes strict standards of quality, decoration, performance, and finishes. In the watchmaking world, the prestigious Geneva Seal (also known as the Poinçon de Genève) is a mark of excellence. In 2008, Cartier unveiled the Ballon Bleu Flying Tourbillon–the first Cartier watch to have a Geneva Seal. The Back Story of Cartier’s In-House Movements Read on to learn about the history, evolution, and assortment of the Calibre de Cartier collection. What is Calibre de Cartier?Īvailable in a variety of different models, sizes, materials, and colorways, the Calibre de Cartier is a diverse watch collection where as much attention is paid to the internal mechanics as to the external design.
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Cartier-made calibers first appeared in some select high horology pieces then by 2010, the company introduced the aptly-named Calibre de Cartier collection powered by in-house movements. So, by the end of the 2000s, Cartier began shifting focus to in-house made movements. However, if there was one criticism that watch enthusiasts had for Cartier, it was the Maison lacked in-house made movements and depended too much on base movements from other companies. From the classic Tank to and pioneering Santos to the glamourous Panthere and curvy Ballon Bleu, the Cartier catalog is full of iconic watch designs. No one can deny that Cartier has had a long history of making incredibly designed luxury watches that people love to wear.
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