In addition to its multiple motivations for pursuing its victorious vanguard charges into the skeleton- work kingdom, Manufacture Roger Dubuis inds in these impressive feats of miniaturisation – much like its ground-breaking micro-rotor also featured in this model – a perfect opportunity to reveal the prestigious inishes that earn it 100% Poinçon de Genève certiication. All faces of the 167 parts composing the new in-house RD820SQ automatic skeleton calibre are individually inished. Despite the constraints naturally entailed by the automatic movement, the Excalibur Automatic Skeleton maintains its architectural and powerful design.

In August 2014, Cartier opened its Maison des Métiers d’Art, a renovated farmhouse within sight of the Cartier Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. With some fifty dedicated craftsmen and women producing in the region of five hundred watches a year under its one roof, this new endeavour will nurture the artistic crafts of both yesterday and tomorrow.

Created in 1935, the Cadenas watch marks the birth of one of the Maison’s most emblematic pieces. A symbol of sentimental attachment in the image of its clasp, the watch is said to have been inspired – like the Zip necklace – by the Duchess of Windsor. The first version of this jewel that tells the time was in gold, with a double snake chain acting as a bracelet. The lines of the case are straight and pure; the attachment takes on the rounded form of a padlock. The design is unique, asserting its status as an emblematic and instantly recognizable symbol. Graced with femininity, an angled dial underscores its refinement: the time is read discretely, in the manner of elegant ladies of the period. Boldly avant-garde, the Cadenas watch is notable for its unashamedly modern design. The curves of its hoop-shaped attachment blend perfectly with the straight lines of the case.