Things can move fast: it was only in 2013 that Cartier introduced the Mysterious Double Tourbillon, yet this complication has become one of the benchmarks among the brand’s complicated timepieces.

It is more than just a calling card; it is a canvas upon which the product development department may exercise its technical prowess upon.

And speaking of that, Carole Forestier-Kasapi and her team really got carried away with the new Minute Repeater Mysterious Double Tourbillon. The result is a mechanical behemoth that doesn’t hide its horological prowess, but rather grabs the attention of the senses of those fortunate enough to behold it.

A close look dial side of the Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Repeater Mysterious Double Tourbillon

Where the double tourbillon was the centerpiece of the previous model, it has now become a visual spectacle as part of a far more complex movement. By adding a minute repeater to an already complicated double tourbillon, Cartier had its work cut out.

The double tourbillon consists of a regular one-minute tourbillon, while the sapphire disk it is placed upon makes one rotation in five minutes.

A close look dial side of the Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Repeater Mysterious Double Tourbillon

Visually it seems as if the tourbillon is floating and rotating in space, and technically it has to deal with the added weight of the sapphire disk as well as a quite a bit of extra motion, both of which consume more power.

This of course demands a robust movement providing enough power for all the operations without compromising the precision of its timekeeping capabilities.

Cartier not only pulled that off, but even found room to give the new Caliber 9407 MC a power reserve of 84 hours while keeping the overall height at a thin 11.5 mm.

View through the display back to the intricate movement of the Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Repeater Mysterious Double Tourbillon

The bridges of the Caliber 9407 MC features a slate-colored rhodium finish turning the movement into a monochrome masterpiece with brightly contrasting rubies adding a touch of color.

The longer you look at this technical masterpiece the more details you discover, and that is what makes this watch so visually fascinating.

The only classical, traditional part of the watch is the crown, which is set with a sapphire cabochon . . . after all this is Cartier!

It might surprise some that the Cartier Minute Repeater Mysterious Double Tourbillon is available in titanium despite its rather technical design. However, titanium is one of the best materials to craft a minute repeater case in because of the way it carries sound.

Dial side: the Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Repeater Mysterious Double Tourbillon

Of course, being an exquisite and very exclusive watch some customers will prefer a precious metal case; for that Cartier also offers the Minute Repeater Mysterious Double Tourbillon in two platinum diamond-set variations.

We hope to be able to examine the effect that the different cases will have on the sound of the minute repeater inside this Mysterious Double Tourbillon soon, but one thing is already certain: Cartier has once again delivered a technical behemoth!

The Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Repeater Mysterious Double Tourbillon

For more information, please visit www.cartier.com/en-us/maison/events/salon-international-de-la-haute-horlogerie.

Quick Facts
Case: 45 x 11.5 mm, titanium, beaded crown set with sapphire cabochon, also available set with baguette-cut diamonds
Movement: manually winding Caliber 9407 MC with double tourbillon, 448 components, Geneva Seal
Functions: hours, minutes; minute repeater
Price: approx. $450,000