Over the course of their history, Cartier has developed an incredibly strong history as a revered watchmaker, with models like the Tank, Santos, Crash and many others earning their place within the horological spotlight. However, while these may be icons from a historical and design standpoint, they typically don’t feature a level of watchmaking that is all too impressive. As a result, Cartier launched the Rotonde collection to showcase their horological talents, and this example, the Rotonde Moonphase ref. 3674 is no different. Made out of 18kt rose gold, its 42mm polished construction is immediately unique from Cartier’s typically svelte angular designs. Building upon this unique construction is the Rotonde’s stunning silver dial. Featuring the use of Roman numerals in its top half to display the hours and a retrograde moonphase indicator in the bottom half, the dial is immediately intriguing. Featuring just one hand to track the minutes, the hours are instead indicated by the rotating disk in the timepiece’s centre that boasts a Sun motif to indicate daytime and a Moon motif to indicate the night time. Furthermore, the Rotonde features a sapphire crystal case back to display its wonderfully finished cal. 9912MC movement. A wonderful display of Cartier’s skill as innovative designers not only in form but also in how we tell time, the Cartier Rotonde Moonphase is a truly exceptional watch that is unlike most of what the market has to offer, not just Cartier.

A different kind of Cartier to what we expect from the famed French jeweller and watchmaker, the ref. 3674 is a visually distinct timepiece that still retains Cartier's signature details.