Drive De Cartier Extra Flat Review
Cartier is not the most obvious choice for many watch enthusiast. For some a watch made by a jeweller is not as exciting as traditional watchmakers. I feel that they are wrong.
Cartier is credited to have invented the wristwatch in 1904 when Santos-Dumont asked his friend Louis Cartier to produce a watch available for the wrist to bee used when flying -- pocket watches were not suitable in this context.
Today Cartier is one of the few innovators in the watch industry. Following the last year launch of the "Drive the Cartier" line -- an automobile inspired masculine line -- this year at the SIHH Cartier unveiled the Drive de Cartier Extra Flat.
The case size has been reduced from 40 to 39mm but the big surprise is the extra flat case that is just 6.6 mm thick. The version reviewed here is the Limited Edition white gold one. There is also a rose gold non limited model but I feel that the white gold model is classy, discrete and timeless.
As we can see the watch has not a simpler dial (no guilloche) and just 2 hands. Essentials and nothing more.
The alligator strap in grey is simply fantastic. Love the C buckle too.
The benefit of such a thin watch is that it can be easily hidden under the cuff. 6.6mm is really not much!
The case of the watch is, despite the flat line, very sold and doesn't feel fragile at all. This is very important for a thin watch.
The casebook is closed and this is perfectly fine such a watch. It is powered by the in-house caliber 430 MC (originally developed by Piaget under caliber 430P but now in-house for Cartier).
The 36 hours power reserve is acceptable for such thin watch. Here you can see it with the Cartier cufflinks
I like the fact that the watch can easily be combined with other Cartier jewels like the love ring
or both cufflinks and ring
Here you can see it during a recent visit at the recently re-built Cartier House in New York City:
NYC Skyline from Freedom tower
The Cartier House in New York City
Something very magic about the Cartier house
In conclusions this watch is very contemporary yet classic Cartier. Contemporary because of the unique shape and classic due to the roman numbers that underline the Cartier classic DNA.
It is priced relatively well for a limited edition white gold piece. It is classic but it is perfect as an everyday watch for the busy CEO.