From the Tank watch to the Pasha to the Ballon Bleu, Cartier has always been top choice for royalty and movie stars alike. This year at the annual Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), Cartier added yet another gem to its bejewelled treasure chest of horological legends. Simply named Calibre de Cartier, it’s a classic round-faced watch for men that bears no resemblance to the Pasha or Ballon Bleu, the other circular-shaped timepieces from the French marque. Its strong and robust lines lend a highly masculine touch to the frame, while the signature Cartier design codes — the Roman numerals, and the grained and snailed finishes — on the dial adds gentlemanly charm. Bill Prince from GQ UK probably describes it best: “The Calibre de Cartier is more classical than the Roadster, less dressy than the Ballon Bleu, while featuring elements of both.”

Brand Name : Cartier

But what makes the Calibre de Cartier even more alluring is that it’s powered by the first in-house automatic movement — the 1904 MC. (The numbers refer to the year Cartier made its first-ever wristwatch for Brazilian aviator Albertos Santos Dumont.) The 1904 MC may not be as complicated as Cartier’s other calibre debutants, but it’s impressive nonetheless.

Brand Name : Cartier

For one, it’s not an archetypal automatic calibre bought from a movement maker that has merely undergone a few aesthetic nip and tucks. A slew of enhancements have been made on the 1904 MC: Ceramic ball-bearings are positioned at the centre of the rotor to resist shock and improve durability, and a pawl system replaces the reversers traditionally used in self-winding mechanisms, allowing the watch to be wound more easily. In a move to establish the Calibre de Cartier as a men’s watch, word has it that Cartier’s female staff at SIHH were forbidden to wear the new watch. Available in steel, rose gold or a combination of both, one thing about the 42mm-wide timepiece is a certainty: It will be a hit with the men — and the women.