The Rotonde de Cartier Grande Complication combines a perpetual calendar, a minute repeater, and a flying tourbillon. Its development took 5 years – followed by 15 weeks of production, 10 weeks of decorating and finishing and 5 weeks of assembly. The result: is the most complicated timepiece ever produced by Cartier.

The Cartier Grande Complication comes in a platinum 950 case – that is polished to a mirror finish – and measures 45 mm in diameter by 12.6 mm. A beaded platinum crown set with a blue sapphire cabochon gives it the distinctive Cartier look.

An open-worked dial that is crafted from 18K white gold allows a full view of the minute repeater gongs at 6 o’clock, the tourbillon at 12 o’clock, along with numerous components that would typically be covered by the dial.

The 47 jewel in-house made caliber 9406 MC beats at 3Hz and has a total of 578 components, measuring no more than 5.49 mm in thickness (6.7 mm with tourbillon). Cartier’s watchmakers had to place the components very close together to fit everything into such a limited space. The self-winding rotor, for example, is a space-saving platinum micro-rotor. (Editor’s note: The innovative construction of this two-level micro-rotor enables a reduction in winding speed while limiting energy loss.)

From bevelled edges to drawn flanks to polished countersinks – every component of the movement is decorated to the highest haute horology and Poinçon de Genève standards.

Water-resistance is 30 meters. It comes with a black alligator strap with a double adjustable folding buckle in 18K white gold. The price is approximately $680,000. (Ref. W1556251)