Cartier Brings Back The Tortue – Monopusher Chronograph And All

2024-04-17

Since 2017, Cartier has dutifully reissued one of its classic shapes as part of its Cartier Privé collection. This year, one of the oldest takes its turn: the Tortue. Originally introduced in 1912 but also well-known for its neo-vintage era monopusher chronograph, the 2024 Tortue collection plays on both of these eras, featuring both two-handers and chronographs that should leave Cartier enthusiasts satisfied.

Cartier introduced the Tortue in 1912 (French for "turtle"), making it older than pretty much every Cartier shape except the Santos-Dumont (1904). By the 1920s, Cartier was adding complications like monopushers and minute repeaters to the shape, some of the first examples of Cartier blending its singular style with mechanical innovation. The Tortue Monopusher, Cartier's first chronograph, was a dainty proposition featuring calibers from European Watch & Clock Co., a joint venture between Cartier and Edmund Jaeger (Jaeger-LeCoultre). These early chronographs are extremely rare: less than 15 or so have ever surfaced.

For 2024, Cartier's brought this history back in a collection of limited editions: each of the chronographs and two-handers is limited to 200 numbered pieces in each metal – platinum or yellow gold. There's also a diamond-set platinum version limited to 50 pieces that we didn't get to see except through a display case.

The return of the Tortue monopusher (monopoussoir, in French) chronograph is most exciting. The yellow gold or platinum case measures 43.7mm x 34.8mm and 10.2mm thick, about the same size as the CPCP Monopusher. That said, the case looks to have been slightly reworked and I think it looks better. I think it's because the shape pinches more at the lugs, giving the polished case just a bit more shape.

Both dials have a Roman numeral track broken up by large subdials. The numerals on the platinum version are raised and rhodium-plated, while on the yellow gold, they're black and printed. Both have blued Breguet-style hands.

cartier prive tortue monopusher chronograph gold

The dial design of both is well executed. Cartier has certainly looked more towards those extremely rare 1920s Tortue monopushers for inspiration than the later CPCP. The design feels cleaner and more balanced compared to those neo-vintage CPCP chronographs. Both case metals have blued Breguet-style hands that contrast nicely against the opaline dial. To me, the yellow gold dial is more successful, with the Roman numerals offering a contrast that the monochromatic platinum execution doesn't have. Cartier made similar monochromatic choices with last year's Tank Normale. Oddly, it's the second year in a row I've preferred the yellow gold Privé offering to the platinum.

Excerpt from Hodinkee

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