This beautiful timepiece gets points for best use of lapis lazuli in a timepiece and extra double points for presenting the moon phase indication in a way that departs from the traditional gold sun on a blue disc that moves under a window on the dial.
This beautiful timepiece gets points for best use of lapis lazuli in a timepiece and extra double points for presenting the moon phase indication in a way that departs from the traditional gold sun...
The display on this dial is utterly unique, with the phase of the moon shown on demand when the user presses the push-piece at two o’clock. The lapis lazuli stone disk emerges from its hiding place under the Roman numeral IIII to cover the tourbillon aperture in a way that represents the phase of the moon. By pressing the push-piece again, the stone disk returns to its original position. The other push-piece is used to set the second time zone, indicated by the 24-hour rotating disk at 12 o’clock.
The 47mm case is platinum, a good sign that this is a limited edition – 50 pieces only. The openworked grid with Roman numerals, which sits over the lapis dial, is also platinum. The watch contains the beautifully openworked, rhodium-plated caliber 9440 MC, the result of a collaboration between Cartier RD and Renaud Papi. It is visible through the sapphire caseback, and has a three-day power reserve.
Photos courtesy Cartier.
