Ballon de Cartier 42mm Vibrating Setting Watch. Housed within this 42mm diameter case in white gold is Cartier’s extra-thin  Calibre 430 MC manual-winding movement. The highlight of this watch is its “vibrating” diamonds – what we would describe as “dancing stones”. Limited to 20 pieces. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Elfa / Timmy. 2015 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie.

Can precious stones like diamonds be brought to life?

For us, the answer is a resounding yes, if the “magician” or perhaps it is better to say, jeweller, is none other than Cartier.

Breathing life into diamonds was just one of the memorable magic performed by Cartier at the 2015 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie held in Geneva.

The tool for the “magical act” is known as the Ballon Bleu de Cartier Vibrating Setting Watch and its performance can be repeated on demand, any time of the day, anywhere with this timepiece sitting nicely on a ladies wrist.

All the wearer has to do to make the diamonds on the dial come alive is to move her hand or wrist slightly. The slightest of movements causes the diamonds set on the dial of the Ballon Bleu de Cartier Vibrating Setting Watch to “vibrate” or “tremble”.

The combined rhythmic “dance” of the diamonds in turn, translates to added sparkle from these precious stones. Just play the video we captured at the 2015 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie below, observe and all will be understood.

But do note that there is no audio in our video. As such, we would recommend musical accompaniment and our first choice is: Cartier Diamonds.

The second recommendation is Shirley Bassey’s 1971 Diamonds are Forever, the theme song for the James Bond movie of the same title – “Diamonds are Forever” released in 1971 with Sean Connery starring as James Bond.

With the musical accompaniment, you are ready to play our short 21-second video on the Ballon Bleu de Cartier Vibrating Setting Watch.

In this video (with no audio) featuring the Ballon Bleu de Cartier Vibrating Setting Watch, you can clearly see that all it takes is a slight movement for all the diamonds on the dial to “tremble” or “vibrate”; such animation is what we would rather term as Cartier’s “magical dance”.

Such movement of the diamonds was achieved through what the brand terms “vibrating setting” which is inspired by the “trembling setting” technique introduced at the end of the 19th century that allowed Cartier to have the diamonds to move freely without restraint.

Though the “vibrating setting” of the precious stones was “inspired”, it doesn’t mean that there wasn’t any innovation involved for there were “… several patent applications for this ingenious invisible system”.

 

 

According to Cartier, this “invisible” setting of theirs brings “… precious stones to life and makes the diamonds gleam and pulsate like the beating of a heart. The effect is amazing, like a wave of light in a constant state of change.

“It is the magical feeling of wearing a piece of living jewellery that throbs with the natural vibrations of the diamonds.”

We agree and we are certain many who experienced its effect will too. After all, Cartier is one brand with glitter in its veins.

“Cartier knows how to magnify stones and one historical example is the trembling setting technique,” says Thomas Crye, international marketing director, Cartier.

The Ballon Bleu de Cartier Vibrating Setting Watch made its debut in the Ballon Bleu collection, characterized by its highly identifiable crown protection system and with a blue sapphire cabochon set on the crown.

This timepiece adds a super-charged sparkle to the timepiece and it will not fail to gain attention from all those within its visible distance. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Elfa / Timmy. 2015 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie.

This crown will be well used for the Ballon Bleu de Cartier Vibrating Setting Watch is powered by the extra-thin Calibre 430 manual-winding movement.

Speaking of the crown, our take is that this Ballon Bleu de Cartier Vibrating Setting Watch marks yet another Cartier coronation in coruscation. After all, Cartier is “the jeweller of kings, and the king of jewellers”.

Derived from the Latin word coruscationem which originated during the late 15th century, coruscate means “to vibrate or glitter” when translated to English, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary has another meaning for coruscation and that is, “a flash of wit”.

For us, both meanings can describe this Ballon Bleu de Cartier Vibrating Setting Watch – in addition to the charm of the glitter, there is the unending flashes of wit (in order words, brilliance) that Cartier reveals, year after year.

Not convinced? Well, let’s see what Cartier has to reveal at the 2016 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. Stay tuned.