The Tressage watch unveiled this year reveals a new aesthetic for Cartier watchmaking. How did you come up with this watch?
We worked in the same way as jewelers, by sculpting gold. The question of ergonomics was also essential in terms of how to offer a single size that would suit all wrists. While we could have created several different formats, we opted for simplicity. Despite its unconventional, even slightly disconcerting appearance, it had to be ergonomically universal – and it works, as we’ve found that it does indeed fit perfectly on every wrist.
You mention sculpture. Is this a source of inspiration in your work?
Yes, it comes very naturally to me, especially within this Maison. When I was younger, I did a lot of sculpting, which taught me to see objects in three dimensions. Even when a project starts with a drawing, a 3D vision is essential. At Cartier, an object’s volume and appearance are always defined by sculpture. The Panthère is the perfect example: it’s impossible to draw it correctly without sculpting it first. We’ve transposed this approach to jewelry and watchmaking, which explains the importance devoted to volume, ergonomics and fluidity.
You are the Watches & Jewelry Creative Director at Cartier. How do these two worlds interact and inspire each other?
Cartier’s inherent jewelry expertise has given us unique positioning. Ergonomics, the “second skin” concept, the harmoni- ous integration of case and bracelet: all this stems from jewelry. Technically speaking, we also draw heavily on this expertise, for example through settings that are crafted just as they are for jewelry: snow setting, extremely small beads, braiding... These are all jewelry techniques that we transfer into watchmaking.
Do certain new products, such as the smaller Santos, respond to specific market demand?
We are naturally attuned to our customers and our markets but demand alone is not enough: the response must be aesthetically satisfying and technically feasible. For the smaller Santos, for example, we waited until we had the right movement to ensure the proportions were perfect – and it worked for both women and men. Watchmaking is no longer a necessity, but a desire. Beauty is not gendered: both men and women can choose a timepiece for its aesthetic appeal. In Japan, for example, many men wear the Baignoire in a very natural and masculine way. Gender issues belong to another generation.
Are you seeing the same evolution in the field of jewelry?
Yes, the new generation no longer asks questions about gender, only about beauty. Social media has created an extremely sophisticated luxury culture. Boundaries are becoming increasingly blurred: a ring set with baguette-cut diamonds or a precious bracelet can be worn by anyone. This is positive, as it drives us to raise the bar ever higher in terms of the quality and consistency of our creations.
Can you tell us about the new zebra pattern on the Panthère watch and what inspired it?
It’s a fresh way of giving the Panthère collection a new lease on life and it has been a huge success for the Maison since its relaunch. We wanted to reconnect with the historical bestiary and animal motifs, so we created a very graphic tiger/zebra hybrid. It was a truly technical challenge because we had to respect the existing geometry, but expertise in artistic crafts helped us to animate this design.
What about the Panthère jewelry watch?
It was a complex exercise because, in watchmaking, you always have to integrate time, the dial and the movement. Here, the challenge was to make the panther’s presence feel natural. We chose to work on its stance: leaping, as if it were capturing or caressing time. The result is fluid and poetic, yet it took a lot of work.
Every brand has its own vocabulary. How would you describe Cartier’s?
For me, Cartier is a “signature in a single stroke.” An approved design is immediately identifiable as a Cartier design and is based on several principles: pure lines, no superfluous ornamentation, vibrant architecture, perfect ergonomics inherited from jewelry, as well as the luxury of the invisible: hidden details that are always very carefully crafted, such as the small sculpted pads under a panther’s paws…
