What Makes a Cartier Watch?
More than any other, Louis Cartier of this famous family and design house was responsible for the popularity of the wrist watch over the pocket watch, more commonly carried by men of the day. The first known wrist watch was developed by Patek Phillippe in 1868, it was not until 1904 that Cartier stepped into the field.
A friend of Cartier, Brazilian Alberto Santos-Dumont, who happened to be an aviator, asked that Cartier develop a watch for him which would be more suitable for use during his participation in early airplane flights. Pocket watches definitely wouldn’t work, partly because of the difficulty in reaching them when both hands were busy operating the controls of the airplane, and partly because of the tendency to be dropped and broken. The wristwatch that was created was the Santos. It was also the first wristwatch created for men. It didn’t actually go into production until 1911, and contained movements by Edmond Jaeger. Cartier is also responsible for the first water resistant wristwatch which was welcomed by the aviator and anyone working outdoors.
The popularity of the Cartier name and its reputation for quality helped to lift their wristwatches to the premier position in the production and marketing of the watches. By 1912, two more wristwatches in the Cartier line, the Baignoire and Tortue which are still in production today were followed in 1917 by the Tank. The Cartier Baignoire, the Cartier Panthére issued in 1983, the Pasha de Cartier in 1985, and the Tank Française in 1996. Cartier’s Privée Collection is another more recent entrant into the world of quality, performance and elegance in the wristwatch.
During this period, the feature that marks a Cartier watch as an original was added. A four digit code is stamped on the lug. The prestige of Cartier watches is unarguable. Their decorative and useful designs combined with the finest Swiss-made watch movements such as Vacheron Constantin and Movado makes these timepieces not only beautiful but precise.
The company today maintains the best known of the classical watches which have been reissued such as the Pasha, the Santos 100 and the Roadster. The best known lines of watches from Cartier include the Cartier Tank collection, the Pasha de Cartier line, Santos de Cartier, and the Ligne 21 de Cartier. The watches which bear the name Cartier are made of platinum, three colors of gold, including white, rose and yellow, Gold/steel, steel and titanium. The cases are decorated with various kinds of precious stones. The watch movements are the best from the Swiss watchmakers and quartz, mechanical, automatic winding mechanical, and manual winding mechanical.
Because of their reputation for elegance, dependability and quality, Cartier wristwatches have long been a target for replica watches made to capitalize on the value and reputation of a Cartier. For people who want the look of a Cartier but the price of an ordinary wristwatch, many of the replicas resemble the original quite closely. Some replicas even make the claim to be indistinguishable in weight from the originals.
By: david
Things to Consider When Buying a Watch
Watches not only serve as time keepers, but also as fine pieces of jewellery. In fact for many men, watches are the most visible and expensive pieces of jewellery that they own. Purchasing a watch, like any expensive item, demands that the buyer consider many factors before spending a lot of money.
The first consideration a watch shopper must make is to determine his budget. The price of watches varies tremendously, ranging from a few dollars for a digital watch that can be found in a local thrift shop, to tens of thousands of dollars for a diamond encrusted luxury watch. The buyer’s budget will for the most part determine the materials and quality of the watch. Inexpensive watches may be fabricated from plastic while more expensive watches are crafted from precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum . The budget will also determine the material of the crystal that cover the face of the watch. Crystals can be made of plastic polymers, glass, or synthetic sapphire. Synthetic sapphire crystals cost the most money, but are the most scratch resistant.
Next, once a budget has been determined, buyers need to consider whether they want a digital or an analogue watch. Digital watches display the time by illuminating liquid crystals. Analog watches, in contrast, have the typical hand motion with numbers on the face of the watch that most people are familiar with. The needs of the purchaser plays an important role in making this choice. For some people, being able to tell the time as quickly as possible with a short glance is a top priority. They may also be in need of a watch that can double as a stop watch or has an alarm. These consumers may find that utilitarian digital watches are best suited for their needs. For others, to whom the watch serves more as jewelry, an analog watch may be more to their liking. Newer, more avant-garde watches provide the best of both worlds, combining the benefits of a digital watch with the looks of a more classic analog watch.
One final thought that a person wishing to purchase a new watch should think about is whether they want an automatic watch or a quartz watch. Automatic watches are powered by an intricate system of gears and springs, while quartz watches are powered by quartz batteries. Quartz watches have the advantage of being significantly cheaper than mechanical watches although they require battery changes after several years of wear. They also keep better time. Automatic watches, on the other hand, are fine artisan products, meticulously crafted. They need to be adjusted from time to time and require servicing every few years to make sure the inner workings of the watch remain in good condition. Most luxury brand watches like Rolex and Breitling are automatic watches.
Buying a watch can be a huge investment. Doing a little research and making a list of important features that one wants can go a long way towards making the right purchase.
By: Peter Farrar
Richard Mille Presents New RM 011 DLC Titanium Orange
The Richard Mille RM 011 special edition watches, destined exclusively at customers in North and South America and unveiled in 2009, have enjoyed remarkable success. Now the brand is pleased to present its RM 011 DLC Titanium Orange watch – the first limited edition 2010 timepiece for the hemisphere.
The debut of the new Richard Mille watch coincides in time with the start of an important world class sporting event – the 2010 World Cup. In June, eight national teams coming from North and South America will join the list of 32 best soccer teams coming from all over the world to compete in the championship.
The RM 011 DLC Titanium Orange watch provides the flyback chronograph functions – a really useful feature for professional sportsmen and sports fans. The timepiece is 50-meter water-resistant.
The heart of the watch is a skeletonized automatic winding movement that boasts adjustable rotor geometry. The movement animates an impressive range of functions – hours, minutes, and seconds, month display found between 4 and 5 o’clock, big date display at 12 o’clock, mentioned-above flyback chronograph, annual calendar, 60-minute countdown timer, and 12-hour totalizer. The movement guarantees a 55-hour power-reserve.
The watch stands out from the crowd by its eye-catching orange indicators, crown and inner bezel presented against the deep black surroundings of the tripartite case sculptured in DLC titanium.
Richard Mille RM011 Philippe Massa PVD Red Asia 2813 21J replica watches $288.00
Model : PVD Black Coated Brushed SS Engineered Case, Red Inner Bezel, Skeleton Dial, Printed Arabic Numeral Markers on Rubber Strap with Tang Buckle, Black Inner Bezel Movement: Custom Modified on Asian 2813……Decorated Skeleton, Decorated Rotor, Cut Plate Date Wheel ( Big Date at 12.00) Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Date, Faux Chronograph Dimensions : Width 42mm x Height 55mm x 17.8mm Thk Material : 1 piece forged case construction, solid 316 stainless steel, Thick PVD Black Coating Back : Display case back with Detail Serial Engraving Crown : One-piece Pull Out Crown with o ring Crystal : Synthetic Sapphire crystal Water-resistant We supply perfect replica luxury watches.
By: topareplica.com