Magic SHOW

Cartier’s watches for 2022 are a play of adroitness in Jewellery-making, technical prowess, and sheer sleight of hand. Bazaar India has an exclusive conversation with Pierre Rainero, Director of Image, Style, and Heritage for the Maison to learn more.

- Radhika Bhalla

In the art of seduction, a certain air of mystery is considered to be the secret element in making a person—or a timepiece, in the case of the Cartier’s 2022 offerings—all the more exciting. For this year’s watches present fascinating shapes and technicalities to bemuse you, and innovations that will pave the way for many others in the near future.

Cartier’s command over fine jewellery and watchmaking, it’s known, is one of its hallmarks. Take the Mystery Clocks, for instance: inspired by the French magician Houdin, the father of modern conjuring, these feats of horological and technical invention have captured the fancy of collectors’ since they were first created in 1912. At the turn of the 19th century, Louis Cartier (the founder’s grandson, 1875–1942) and horologist Maurice Coüet (1885–1963) created the “Model A” Mystery Clock, a table clock that appeared to show time suspended in thin air.

Ever since, the design has gone through many iterations. This year, Cartier has created the Masse Mystérieuse—an automatic winding mass, the rotor of which rotates entirely, including the mainspring and escapement. But that’s not the only interesting detail. While this unique, integrated movement takes place, the hour and minute hands remain absolutely stable. It’s magic, no doubt, but also a testament to the brand’s desire to push the boundaries.