Drive de Cartier watch. Introduced in 2016, it houses Cartier’s Manufacture Calibre 1904-PS MC automatic movement and features the sweep seconds counter at six o’clock and the date display. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Elfa / Timmy. 2016 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie.
Is the wristwatch one has on the wrist a form of communication?
That may well be the case given for example, that an expensive wristwatch is generally viewed as a status symbol.
There are those who also wear certain wristwatches as an expression of themselves and of course, those who sport them more for their time-telling functionality.
As Hollywood actress Alexandra Paul had once said: “The car we drive says a lot about us.” Alexandra Paul had starred in the TV series Baywatch (1989) as Lt Stephanie Holden and movies such as Dragnet (1987) and Spy Hard (1996).
Actually, the same can be said for shoes and wristwatches. Indeed, what one wears can actually say a lot about oneself.
What “hand signals” can be read if you spot someone wearing the Drive de Cartier wristwatch which made its debut at the 2016 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie held in Geneva?
Firstly, this stylish cushion-shaped timepiece is masculine in looks. This watch is worn “… as a reflection of the man, rather than for status; the same applies to his passion which he steers, as he would his car, appreciating the beauty of the skills involved,” according to the brand.
We would interpret that as a gentleman who appreciates what he has and the experience it brings.
Enzo Ferrari (1898 to 1998), founder of Ferrari – the famous automobile marque with the prancing horse, had once commented: “The fact is, I don’t drive from A to B. I enjoy the car’s reactions, becoming part of it.”
For owners of Drive de Cartier watches, they probably enjoy the stylish design and the various elements it offers that have been inspired by the automobile. Of course, one must not forget that the design signature is still very much in line with the Cartier DNA.
The guilloché patterns for instance, resemble the design of a radiator grill while its domed crystal, continuous sweep seconds counter at six o’clock and winding crown are shaped like the bolt seen in automobiles. Hence the name of the collection – “Drive de Cartier”.
In a nutshell, the Drive de Cartier is what the brand describes as “… the watch of a man of passion”, one with an aptitude for style and freedom while not forgetting the appreciation of Cartier timepieces with distinctive shapes.
We can probably add that these Drive de Cartier watches are not only of distinctive shapes but of distinction.