Exclusively for the most driven and dapper dudes. So the question is: “What Drives You?”
Cartier introduced the Cartier Drive de Cartier watches as a vintage-inspired driving watch for men. Market analysts are predicting that this year there will be an increase in women’s luxury watch sales, so why unveil a new men’s watch? Then again, some analysts aren’t always on point. Cartier just released the Cle de Cartier about a year ago and that is available for men and women, on the other hand, the Drive de Cartier is exclusively for the most driven and dapper dudes. “What Drives You?” is the slogan for their campaign which is a great question indeed!
It’s clear that Cartier doesn’t seem phased by market predictions and feels that men who appreciate haute couture and horology will fall in love with this collection and it looks like they have indeed. The new Drive de Cartier Collection has several watches in the series. One is an automatic showing the date, basic hours and minutes with small seconds in a sub-dial at the 6 o’clock position. There is a second model that features a flying tourbillon and a third with dual time zones and day and night indicator (model # wsnm0005).
Through the transparent case back the beating heart of this mechanical watch is revealed; the 27 jewel Cartier caliber 1904-PS automatic movement. For or now there is a choice of a stainless steel case and an 18kt pink gold case (model # wgnm0003). The standard model in steel has the choice of a silver flinqué dial (model # wsnm0004) with black Roman numeral hour markers and minute track or a black flinqué dial (model # wsnm0009) with white Roman numeral hour markers and minute track. Either one of them is sporty and elegant looking and as always there is the blue spinel cabochon crown, the Cartier signature crown.
Some things about the aesthetics of Cartier’s Drive de Cartier watch are reminiscent of the many Tank series albeit a more rounded, smoother version. However, when looking at the two side by side, the textured dial on the Drive de Cartier seems to refract more light, much like a diamond making this watch appear more visible in low light conditions.
What’s unique about this watch is the new shape. The shape of a Cartier watch is the most recognizable characteristic and is always symbolic of the collection to which it belongs. The Tank has a rounded rectangular shape, the Santos has a rounded square shape, the Ronde Croisiere is Round, The Cle is somewhere between round and ‘tonneau’ (barrel shaped). So is the shape of the Drive de Cartier, this elegant but sporty new cushion-shaped watch the shape of the future for men’s Cartier watches?
While the look of this watch is considered to be vintage-inspired, it still has a timeless look and gives off the impression of an elegant men’s sports watch that can still be worn decades from now and without looking dated. Cartier puts a tremendous amount of work into each Cartier Drive de Cartier watches and is known for their uncompromising quality and their up to the minute watch designs.
Patek Philippe may have created the very first wristwatch at a time when everyone only used pocket watches. However, it was 1911 when Louis Cartier made wristwatches popular while helping his friend, pioneering aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont who needed a way to tell the time while flying. The company is still at it over a century later and consistently creating trendsetting new watches.