Cartier ID One Concept Watch, The Courageous Revolution
Cartier ID One Concept Watch, The Courageous Revolution
Cartier Santos launched in 1904 played a pioneering role in the battle of wristwatch against pocket watch.
Timepiece that are too much ahead of their time would not come from a tradition manufacture. Such brands have history on their back, and concern matters like operating quality. If you have studied the way observatory tests a watch, you would understand why pocket watch is way ahead of wristwatch in accuracy. Movement size of course is a main factor: the bigger it is, the easier to make it accurate. Positioning is another point. While pocket watch is placed vertically or horizontally most of the time, a wristwatch can change to different positions continuously, triggering the self-conpensating mechanism of the balance all the time. Temperature change also matters. Pocket watch faces a much more stable environment than wristwatch in this regard. When thinking of all these, a traditional manufacture would not take the risk, Epoch-making creations, thus, would only be made by jewelers and fashion brands. Cartier not just produced the first non-jewellery wristwatch, they had also used platinum as case material before anybody else did.
When Patek Philippe Cal 96, the first round watch, launched in 1932, the world realized that wristwatch was the way to go. The follow decades were characterized by the development and perfection of different functions, and the improvement in quality of the tiny wristwatch movements. This golden age came to an abrupt end in 1969, and the dark age lasted until 1985. Yet the very essence of wristwatch has changed to luxury or investment item. As computer technology is set to replace manual watchmaking step by step, wristwatches' future getting uncertain.
The materials used in watchmaking, indeed, have been in place for almost 200 years. It is not true that anything has to be replaced after it is used for a long time, yet the development of human civilization is a precess of continual trial. Uncertainty should never be an excuse against innovation. Since 2000, various new materials have been applied by the watchmaking industry, achieving success and recognition to a certain degree.
It is well known that the Swatch Group, Patek Philippe and Rolex have joined hands in a project that explored the possibility of using silicon. Breguet, a Swatch's brand, as well as Patek, have since then rolled out pieces with silicon parts in the escapement namely pallet, escape wheel and hairspring. Since August 2009, Patek Philippe have started to use silicon hairspring on all basic models. Rolex, on the other hand, believe that the new alloy they developed on their own is a more advanced material, and thus have used it for the Blue Parachrom hairspring. With Swiss patent no. 706279, the brand, understandably, do not reveal the composition of the alloy. Yet we know by now it mainly comprises niobium and also includes non-iron materials like zirconium so as to achieve similar anti-magnetic effects as silicon.
As we enter 2010, the competition of watch brands is set to return to full swing. As the economy shows signs of recovery, they could no longer be patient like during the financial tsunami. They are to rush to unveil novelties so as to fight for exposure, and to win move market share. In early December, Cartier invited press worldwide to their manufactory in La Chaux-de-Fonds to see their 2010 SIHH novelties, unveiling the Cartier ID-One Concept Watch. According to the brand, ID means innovation and development. The piece stands out since no matter inside or out, it has applied new material of different kinds.
The piece has a 46mm "Ballon Bleu"(Blue Balloon) casing in niobium-titanium which, on top of a special sheen, offers remarkable anti-shock and anti-corrosion capacity. Somebody raised doubt on the raison d'etat of this new alloy, since its hardness and composition is similar to Grade 5 titanium. The technical staff at Cartier replied that niobium not just has better anti-magnetic capacity but is non-allergic.It is used on top-grade surgical tools.
The 16-ligne movement is revealed by the transparent dial and case back. Like the casing it also features stunning innovations. After refined polishing, the baseplate and bridges are ADLC blackened. Unlike the common chromium plating or PVD coating, ADLC involves crystalline diamond-like materials being coated on a metallic surface. The baseplate and bridges, as a result, would render a surface hardness and smoothness like the diamond. Together with ADLC coated balance pinion, there would be no wear-and-tear in operation, thus rendering no needs for lubrication and even jewelling. In the past, "no-jewel" was the equivalent to low-grade movement, used only on "watches for students". 30 to 40 jewel were common for a good calibre, and a funny piece even had 99 jewels. In existence for 200 years, jewel may, once again like pocket watch, become history due to Cartier.
Many people like most about the piece is that all the wheels on the going train are made of carbon crystal. The material, indeed, is the so-called synthetic (or industrial) diamond available in the market. It is as hard as the real diamond, but without the flaws of the latter. In fact, calling it "diamond" might be a good gimmick, like Ulysse Nardin named the escapement of Freak of "DIAMondSIL". Cartier did not do it, yet, since they never use synthetic diamonds on jewellery watches. On top of good-looking, the material is also hard and light. By adopting a transparent sapphire dial painted with Roman numerals, the beauty of the wheels is under full scrutiny.
The escapement is made mainly of carbon crystal too. The hairspring is made of Zerodur, a new patented material which, on top of silicon, also comprises metals like aluminum. With an enhanced elasticity, the new material also eradicated the problem of silicon that breaks up easily. The all-transparent escapement is processed by hi-tech machinery whose tolerance of error is less than 1 micron, something the traditional watchmaking craftsmanship could never achieve. All parts are mono-bloc piece manufactured by a deep-etching process. The hairspring, for example, has no index assembly, no jewels for the pallet, the double-C balance wheel has no meantime screws, etc. The latter is the world's first Adjustment-Free structure which is affixed by a silent-block shock absorber which has 10 rubber gaskets to protect the device from shocks from different angels. All the three major innovations: Zerodur hairspring, Adjustment-Free balance wheel and Silent-Block shock absorber are patented.
To many people, concept watch means a watch that would never be realized. Not this time. At the manufacture, a running example was there to greet, and delight, the attending guests. While it should hit the market soon, there are still quite many problems to be solved, as people think. That include an accuracy of 2 seconds daily, the viability of totally oil-less structure, and even whether the ADLC coating can remain wear-free after long term uses. Only time will tell. These are all intricate problems too, which would be difficult to solve completely. Concept remains a concept, but the first step has been taken. The problems can be solved one by one then.
The beauty of Cartier ID-One Concept Watch is irresistible to many people.
Hyundai dealers are all for massages in the backseat of an Hyundai Equus Export Your Virtues Sidney Rice comes off PUP list Scuderia Ferrari One Limited Edition by Cabestan Truth About Hepatitis GP's Say Fit-Note System is a Flop The Basics Of Skin Tag Removal Perfect Chance for MSN Social Commerce: The Evolution Of E-Commerce Browns' Colt McCoy a likely starter Choosing an aftershave Will MGM Be Back? An Escort in Italia - No Promises or Commitments Needed