CARTIER Ballon Bleu Tourbillon Volant
[ via Cartier ]
Considering last year's incredible success of the Ballon Bleu, shows marked by his eccentric cabochon, Cartier has decided to present last spring a new version of its model, with a whirlwind. Ballon Bleu Tourbillon Volant and in between the landscape of haute horlogerie, proudly bearing the stamp of Hallmark Geneva.
Mechanical movement Manufacturer winding manual, size 9452 MC is made up of 142 pieces and 19 rubies. In a thickness of 4.5 mm, it is driven by a whirlwind driving with an indication of the second by the racket-shaped C. From a diameter of 10 lines 3 / 4, it flies at a rate of 21 600 vibrations per hour and has a reserve of 50 hours. Instead of placing the cage whirl in a traditional way, protected bridges between platinum and movement, the whirlwind of flying shows Ballon blue Cartier has been designed in order to magnify aesthetics. The cage whirlwind seems to "fly" on bridges, as weightless above the dial, more exposed to shocks that could unbalance. This choice, more aesthetic but technically risky, led the master watchmakers to pay particular attention to the design of the cage whirlwind which allows a shock resistance equivalent to that of a traditional vortex.
Why Hallmark of Geneva?
A class stamped Hallmark of Geneva meets the criteria of excellence. The care provided to finish the calibre 9452 MC allows for the sublime beauty of movement but also to maximize its lifetime and its settings:
All of its supplies steel polished angles, stretched the flanks and visible faces softened, which helps reduce friction and ensure greater sustainability movement; head screws, tigerons and faces gable were also polite.
To ensure greater longevity of components, finishing ruby was particularly careful: 19 holes are polished rubies, the cog and exhaust. Side bridge, rubies are finished mid-ice and mouldings are polished.
The spiral is determined by a sliding plate with pad-head and neck round operation watchmaking particularly sensitive to obtain a more precise centering of the spiral and therefore a better adjustment of the movement.
Everything has been implemented to reduce the maximum weight of the wheel exhaust, which reduces the impact of its inertia on setting the movement.
Specifications:
Movement: mechanical manufacture manual winding caliber MC 9452, Hallmark of Geneva, flying tourbillon showing the second by the racket-shaped C, 4.5 mm in diameter, 19 rubies, 21 600 vibrations per hour, 142 components, 50h Reserve walk
Housing: 18-carat gold, 46mm in diameter, beaded crown in 18-carat pink gold decorated with a sapphire cabochon, ice sapphire, transparent ice with sapphire
Dial: galvanic colored guilloche slate grid ajourée satin effect sun with Roman numerals, blued steel needle-shaped sword
Bracelet: brown alligator with a double loop folding setting 18-carat pink gold
Three essential conditions for obtaining the Hallmark of Geneva:
The size must be approved and certified by the office of voluntary control watches the State of Geneva, under the control of a sworn Committee composed of members appointed by the government of the canton.The movement, purely mechanical, must be at least assembled and settled in the Canton of Geneva.Each class must meet 12 criteria technical and aesthetic provided by the regulation and defining its design, features, the quality of its manufacture and its finishes.The Hallmark of Geneva, designed in the nineteenth century by a corporation threatened by the scourge of counterfeiting, is now regarded as a symbol of perfection watch. Established in the form of law in 1886, this label is probably one of the oldest professional designations, recognized both as an indication of independent origin and a guarantee of high quality.
