Your thoughts on Cartier quartz?

[Kloud]

As the title says, what are your thoughts on Cartier quartz watches?

-Kloud

[tudorbaja27]

I'm looking at some tanks - but will likely go the XL route - with the automatic movement.

[Peterandwatches]

I wouldn't really mind. I think Cartier has some iconic industrial designs, and I would be less concerned about the movement.

[tjs00]

Originally Posted by Peterandwatches

I wouldn't really mind. I think Cartier has some iconic industrial designs, and I would be less concerned about the movement.

Agree

[SearChart]

I own a quartz Tank solo, I've owned it for nearly 7 years now and only had one battery change. They are pretty good

[AAVDB]

The new Santos Dumont looks really nice! Wouldnt bother it being quartz for that money. Rather that instead of paying double prices for an ETA what other brands are doing.

[Wesley Crusher]

Cartier is a design firm first and a watchmaker second. If you’re ok with that, then their use of quartz movements shouldn’t bother you. Keep in mind, their quartz movements are probably pretty high quality as well. Not some Chinese piece of junk you’d find in a $100 Michael Kors watch.

[tudorbaja27]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

Cartier is a design firm first and a watchmaker second. If you’re ok with that, then their use of quartz movements shouldn’t bother you. Keep in mind, their quartz movements are probably pretty high quality as well. Not some Chinese piece of junk you’d find in a $100 Michael Kors watch.

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/in...l-perspectives

This would beg to disagree. I used to think the same - but they've been making watches for longer than many Swiss brands have.

Though I do agree - they are primarily now focusing on selling jewelry. I do think the Tank is fantastic and iconic.

[Wesley Crusher]

Originally Posted by tudorbaja27

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/in...l-perspectives

This would beg to disagree. I used to think the same - but they've been making watches for longer than many Swiss brands have.

Though I do agree - they are primarily now focusing on selling jewelry. I do think the Tank is fantastic and iconic.

Dude, that video proves my point lol. Even the headline proves my point.

“What makes a Cartier watch different is really the work on shape and design."

Cartier is a design firm. Watches are just one aspect of their business.

I do not say this in a negative way. It is what it is. My personal opinion is that Cartier has proven that they can make excellent movements (as shown by their FWM division) as well as use very nice historical movements so they obviously care to an extent. I’d like to see Cartier continue to use mechanical movements, but I don’t think it’s their focus. The Santos Dumont, not their most famous watch, but arguably the most important, has always been offered with a manual wind movement as the only option. The latest version is offered only in quartz. That alone should tell you something.

Again, I don’t see this as a bad thing.

[SearChart]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

Cartier is a design firm first and a watchmaker second. If you’re ok with that, then their use of quartz movements shouldn’t bother you. Keep in mind, their quartz movements are probably pretty high quality as well. Not some Chinese piece of junk you’d find in a $100 Michael Kors watch.

They're Frederic piguet movements for the most part, I've worked on a few of those in the past and they are pretty solid as far as quartz movements go.

[CoveWatch]

I wouldn't mind a quartz and they're much more inexpensive.. Was actually looking at the FPJ Elegante.

[tudorbaja27]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

Dude, that video proves my point lol. Even the headline proves my point.

“What makes a Cartier watch different is really the work on shape and design."

Cartier is a design firm. Watches are just one aspect of their business.

I do not say this in a negative way. It is what it is. My personal opinion is that Cartier has proven that they can make excellent movements (as shown by their FWM division) as well as use very nice historical movements so they obviously care to an extent. I’d like to see Cartier continue to use mechanical movements, but I don’t think it’s their focus. The Santos Dumont, not their most famous watch, but arguably the most important, has always been offered with a manual wind movement as the only option. The latest version is offered only in quartz. That alone should tell you something.

Again, I don’t see this as a bad thing.

[Wesley Crusher]

Originally Posted by SearChart

They're Frederic piguet movements for the most part, I've worked on a few of those in the past and they are pretty solid as far as quartz movements go.

Nice Bas, didn’t know that. The F Piguet manual movement they use are also very nice.

Do you happen to have any pics of their quartz movements?

[Cru Jones]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

Cartier is a design firm first and a watchmaker second. If you’re ok with that, then their use of quartz movements shouldn’t bother you. Keep in mind, their quartz movements are probably pretty high quality as well. Not some Chinese piece of junk you’d find in a $100 Michael Kors watch.

A little bit of an outdated view on Cartier, IMHO....The past 5-10 years has seen the company become a serious watch maker, and a good one at that.

As for quartz Cartier, I think the new Santos-Dumont line is quite nice....Beautiful design at a more accessible price, plus some people just can't be bothered with mechanical watches.





(photo source)

[Wesley Crusher]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

A little bit of an outdated view on Cartier, IMHO....The past 5-10 years has seen the company become a serious watch maker, and a good one at that.

As for quartz Cartier, I think the new Santos-Dumont line is quite nice....Beautiful design at a more accessible price, plus some people just can't be bothered with mechanical watches.





(photo source)

Being a design firm and a watch maker are not mutually exclusive things.

[Cru Jones]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

Being a design firm and a watch maker are not mutually exclusive things.

No, but, putting the accent on design doesn't hold true anymore for Cartier. It's as much a watch maker as any other mass-produced luxury "watch maker". Otherwise, how to classify Rolex, AP, Patek, etc? They all pay attention to both design and movements, like Cartier.

I suppose AP and Patek spend more time (and money) on finishing their movements, and they also have more complicated movements, but I don't think that qualifies them as watch maker first, designer second...Arguably, Rolex, with their habit of letting movements get very old before changing them, is a "design" firm first.... ;-)

[SearChart]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

Nice Bas, didn’t know that. The F Piguet manual movement they use are also very nice.



Do you happen to have any pics of their quartz movements?

I sadly only have one picture, I serviced this one in school last year.

The movement just wouldn't run so I disassembled it and because the watch was dropped a jewel was broken. I had to replace the main plate (my school had close ties with Richemont, so parts weren't an issue).

They are super straight forward, just a small gear train, an electronic circuit board with the quartz crystal, etc. And keyless system on the dial side.

They also need servicing every few years (10+), the lubricants dry and sometimes there is a little dirt in the movement. Then the movement just drains too much power and starts to run bad or drain batteries really fast.

As far as quartz movements go this is about the best I've worked on, but I have very little experience with them. I also haven't worked on Oysterquartz yet..

If I wear my tank solo again soon I'll open it up and make a picture for you, until then this is the only one I have.

[Maxy]

Originally Posted by Kloud

As the title says, what are your thoughts on Cartier quartz watches?

-Kloud

I like Tank quartz.. always think to get one but its too small on me!

[Wesley Crusher]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

No, but, putting the accent on design doesn't hold true anymore for Cartier. It's as much a watch maker as any other mass-produced luxury "watch maker". Otherwise, how to classify Rolex, AP, Patek, etc? They all pay attention to both design and movements, like Cartier.

I suppose AP and Patek spend more time (and money) on finishing their movements, and they also have more complicated movements, but I don't think that qualifies them as watch maker first, designer second...Arguably, Rolex, with their habit of letting movements get very old before changing them, is a "design" firm first.... ;-)

I’d consider a watch maker as a brand that strictly (or almost strictly) makes watches. Obviously these watches have designs, but that’s not the same thing as a design-driven company.

Brands like Cartier, Channel, VCA, Harry Winston, etc... are so much more. They are design/fashion brands that express themselves across many mediums. Watches are just one aspect. Yes, they are watch makers, but design brands first and foremost.

JMO of course. I have nothing but love for Cartier.

[Cru Jones]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

I’d consider a watch maker as a brand that strictly (or almost strictly) makes watches. Obviously these watches have designs, but that’s not the same thing as a design-driven company.

Brands like Cartier, Channel, VCA, Harry Winston, etc... are so much more. They are design/fashion brands that express themselves across many mediums. Watches are just one aspect. Yes, they are watch makers, but design brands first and foremost.

JMO of course. I have nothing but love for Cartier.

[SearChart]

Wes, here's a picture of the Cartier movement in my Tank solo which I took this morning

[Wesley Crusher]

Originally Posted by SearChart

Wes, here's a picture of the Cartier movement in my Tank solo which I took this morning

Nice, thanks for the pic Bas. That definitely seems to be a high quality movement.

[Kliminator]

Originally Posted by SearChart

I sadly only have one picture, I serviced this one in school last year.

The movement just wouldn't run so I disassembled it and because the watch was dropped a jewel was broken. I had to replace the main plate (my school had close ties with Richemont, so parts weren't an issue).

They are super straight forward, just a small gear train, an electronic circuit board with the quartz crystal, etc. And keyless system on the dial side.

They also need servicing every few years (10+), the lubricants dry and sometimes there is a little dirt in the movement. Then the movement just drains too much power and starts to run bad or drain batteries really fast.

As far as quartz movements go this is about the best I've worked on, but I have very little experience with them. I also haven't worked on Oysterquartz yet..

If I wear my tank solo again soon I'll open it up and make a picture for you, until then this is the only one I have.

Originally Posted by SearChart

Wes, here's a picture of the Cartier movement in my Tank solo which I took this morning

Thanks for sharing the pics. Thinking about getting a tank solo small for my fiance as a wedding gift.

Seems to me the battery swap is easy to have someone else do (watchmaker vs cartier). Can same be said if the watch needs service? Read that a service from cartier can run ~$500 and that seems pretty hefty for a quartz watch