Watches and Wonders 2025: Cartier draws inspiration from its archive and high jewellery collection

Cartier steals the show with Tank à Guichets and all-new jewellery timepiece Tressage

Cartier launched one of the most talked about of this year’s Watches and Wonders, drawing again from its archives to revive a wholly contemporary design more than 100 years after it was first created.

A part of the Cartier Privé collection, the Tank à Guichets first entered the maison’s collection in 1928. While it takes on the same rectangular silhouette as the Tank watch, the similarity between that and the Guichets ends there. In place of a conventional dial and sapphire crystal face, the Tank à Guichets reveals numerals through the gold or platinum case, indicating the hour and minutes. 

A new manual-winding movement, the 9755 MC, powers this timepiece, propelling the jump hours and dragging minutes functions. Instead of hands, the time and minute are displayed through apertures, exposing parts of the jumping and dragging hour and minute discs. 

Instead of the usual three o’clock position, the crown is positioned at the top of the case, just above the 12 o’clock position. The hour aperture is just under the crown, while the minute dragging minutes are revealed through a curved window directly below at the six o’clock position. The reference is presented in platinum, yellow, and rose gold. An additional version in platinum sees the minute display positioned off-centre to the right of the dial and is limited to 200 pieces. 

Measuring 37.6mm × 24.8mm, the pieces are paired with black, green, grey or burgundy alligator leather straps. 

At the heart of the Maison’s DNA is its jewellery-making know-how. This year, the Tressage, a sensual, voluminous creation that brings fluidity and suppleness to goldsmithing, was added to Cartier's jewellery timepiece lineup. 

An extension of a jewellery collection of the same name, the time-only design is presented in four iterations, featuring varying gem sets and colours. From the simplest yellow gold-only version with a contrasting black dial and strap to a high-shine version dripping in diamond and sapphire, the house again proves its designs' versatility. The piece's cuff-like shape makes it as much a piece of jewellery as it is a timepiece- the voluptuous, rope-like curves extend beyond the bezel of the watch,  flanking parts of the bracelet to create the cuff look. 

Also see: Watches and Wonders 2025: Jaeger-LeCoultre shines spotlight on the Reverso