Chapter two - article three
Time is
an illusion
If time is a person for Lewis Carroll, it’s a playground of games and exploration for Cartier. Playing with shapes, crossing the boundary between the real and the imaginary or passing through the looking glass: Cartier approaches time from the perspective of a magician.
Turning Back Time:
The Santos Rewind Watch
Reversing the course of time: that’s the technical and aesthetic challenge of the Santos-Dumont Rewind watch. A creation that aims to read time backwards, defying tradition. A healthy dose of pioneering spirit, a hint of provocation, and a touch of fantasy combine to create a watch that wholeheartedly celebrates the whimsical spirit of the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont.
Turning Back Time:
The Santos Rewind Watch
Reversing the course of time: that’s the technical and aesthetic challenge of the Santos-Dumont Rewind watch. A creation that aims to read time backwards, defying tradition. A healthy dose of pioneering spirit, a hint of provocation, and a touch of fantasy combine to create a watch that wholeheartedly celebrates the whimsical spirit of the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont.
From the other side of the mirror: Reflection de Cartier
The Reflection de Cartier watch invites us to play with the mystery of time, using an optical phenomenon to transform the real into the imaginary. This hybrid watch enjoys blurring the lines. Spectacular architecture, sun-kissed yellow gold, paved or smooth surfaces, the grainy texture of the reverse setting or the powdery texture of the snow setting: the eye moves from contrast to contrast, dazzled. Then it stops, fascinated, to perceive a tiny dial facing a mirror.
From the other side of the mirror: Reflection de Cartier
The Reflection de Cartier watch invites us to play with the mystery of time, using an optical phenomenon to transform the real into the imaginary. This hybrid watch enjoys blurring the lines. Spectacular architecture, sun-kissed yellow gold, paved or smooth surfaces, the grainy texture of the reverse setting or the powdery texture of the snow setting: the eye moves from contrast to contrast, dazzled. Then it stops, fascinated, to perceive a tiny dial facing a mirror.
Houdini, the master of illusion
Maurice Couët took inspiration from the clocks of Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin (1805-1871), famous illusionist and inventor of modern magic. The principle, which he took up and perfected, was based on a brilliant idea: the hands were not directly connected to the movement, but were attached to two glass discs fitted with a serrated metal edge. Driven by the movement, generally housed in the base of the clocks, they lead the hands, one turning at the speed of the minutes, the other at the speed of the hours. To create the perfect illusion, the edges of the discs are hidden by the hour circle.
They are said to be “mysterious” because their hands appear to float in the transparent body of the clock with no apparent link to the movement. These “watchmaking miracles”, as they were called by La Gazette du Bon Ton in 1925, are the result of the collaboration between Louis Cartier and Maurice Couët, an exceptional watchmaker. Couët was only 25 years old when he was discovered by Cartier – and he already had solid experience. From 1911, he designed clocks exclusively for Cartier. The production of these mysterious clocks has never ceased. They fascinate designers and inspire them to explore their infinite creativity.
Houdini, the master of illusion
Maurice Couët took inspiration from the clocks of Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin (1805-1871), famous illusionist and inventor of modern magic. The principle, which he took up and perfected, was based on a brilliant idea: the hands were not directly connected to the movement, but were attached to two glass discs fitted with a serrated metal edge. Driven by the movement, generally housed in the base of the clocks, they lead the hands, one turning at the speed of the minutes, the other at the speed of the hours. To create the perfect illusion, the edges of the discs are hidden by the hour circle.
They are said to be “mysterious” because their hands appear to float in the transparent body of the clock with no apparent link to the movement. These “watchmaking miracles”, as they were called by La Gazette du Bon Ton in 1925, are the result of the collaboration between Louis Cartier and Maurice Couët, an exceptional watchmaker. Couët was only 25 years old when he was discovered by Cartier – and he already had solid experience. From 1911, he designed clocks exclusively for Cartier. The production of these mysterious clocks has never ceased. They fascinate designers and inspire them to explore their infinite creativity.
A brief history of mystery at Cartier
The first Mystery Clock, known as Model A, left the workshops in 1912. Model A is available in several variations, depending on the type of base (onyx, agate, nephrite, gold, etc.), the decoration of the dial and frame (white enamel, mother-of-pearl, etc.) and the shape of the hands. In the 1920s, Cartier introduced the “central axis” model. Unlike Model A, the discs are not driven by two axes on either side of the base, but by a single axis. This innovation gives Cartier even greater freedom in its aesthetic research. In 1923, the movement was installed at the top of the famous Portico Mystera Clocks.
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