Copyright © Françoise Herrmann
Cartier’s Promenade d’une panthère timepiece is a watchmaking masterpiece. The timepiece was presented at the 2012 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH). A private, invitation-only, luxury watch event, previously held in Geneva, Switzerland, intended for leading retailers, professional watchmakers, journalists, and VIP watch collectors.*
In a nutshell, the patented masterpiece consists in translating the oscillating weight, or rotor, of a self-winding watch, to Cartier’s iconic panther, pivoting on a ball bearing, so that it is the panther that oscillates, on top of the clockwork, with every movement of the user’s wrist. Animating oscillations that make it look like the panther is prowling around the clock.
The result is a playful tour de force, embodied in a high jewelry timepiece. The outer oscillating weight is attached to a gold case, bezel-set with 400 brilliant-cut diamonds for a total of 6.18 carats. The panther figurine is also set with 208 brilliant-cut diamonds, totaling 0.42 carats, and black lacquer spots. The alligator leather strap has an adjustable folding buckle, set with 43 brilliant-cut diamonds, totaling 0.42 carats.
Below, a short YouTube video showing the oscillating weight complication, functioning as a (prowling) panther.
Cartier’s Promenade d’une panthère timepiece was granted the European patent, EP2737372B1, titled: Pivoted oscillating weight on the outside of a clockwork and clockwork provided with such an oscillating weight. The patent was awarded on April 9th, 2019, to Carole Kasapi and Laurent Dechaumont, and assigned to Cartier International AG, in Switzerland.
Below, the patent Figure 1, and a sample marketed model of the Cartier Promenade d’une panthère timepiece, embodying the invention. The patent Figure 1 shows the oscillating weight of the timepiece, translated to a 180-degree central part (in this embodiment, the panther) 7. The central (panther) part 7, attached to an annular frame 4, pivots on a ball bearing, at the periphery of a cage 2, attached to the clockwork plate 3, without interfering with the visualization of the timepiece's hand movement. The central (panther) part 7, together with the annular frame 4, are screwed to an annular cage 1 with screws 5. The central (panther) part 7, forms a 180-degree unbalanced section, augmented by the unbalanced weight of the attached annular frame 4, which has apertures 6, on its lighter 180-degree arc, opposite the central (panther) part 7.
Note: SIHH (in English, International Watchmaker and High Jewelry Trade Show). The SIHH tradeshow, previously held annually at the Palexpo Convention Center in Geneva, Switzerland, is now replaced by the Watches and Wonders Geneva annual tradeshow.
References
Cartier (website)
https://www.cartier.com/en-us/home
Watches and Wonders Geneva
https://www.watchesandwonders.com/en/geneva-2024/event
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