Roadster

THE ROADSTER WATCH TAILOR-MADE IN THE SERVICE OF FORM

The Roadster watch has a streamlined design that accelerates time. Now, it’s making a comeback on the watchmaking scene after its original launch in 2002.

When it was introduced, the Roadster borrowed bold codes from the world of mechanical bodywork, setting a standard among watchmaking connoisseurs.

With its speedometer-inspired dial, conical crown, headlight-shaped date magnifier, rivets and screws, the watch boasted a bold, powerful design that reflected the Cartier brothers' interest in the mechanical world and technological advancement.

The new Roadster watch steps up the sophistication and aerodynamic allure while remaining true to the original design. The collection has been reinvented with the help of more than a hundred artisans, from designers to watchmakers, dial-makers, polishers, and stampers, who are constantly pushing the boundaries of their expertise.

Their approach is as much aesthetic as it is technical, elegantly underlining the watch’ssculptural lines in three new versions – gold, gold and steel, and steel – and two new sizes – medium and large.

CRAFTSMANSHIP IN THE SERVICE OF AN ICONIC SHAPE

The Cartier Manufacture’s approach to the new Roadster watch aims to redefine proportions, sharpen lines and rethink ergonomics without altering its distinctive shape.

This is achieved first through design, which strikes a harmonious balance between the bezel and the case with its perfectly integrated crown. The interplay of the crystal and the metal augments the overall shape and unifies the crown, the magnifier and the dial, which are accented by the calendar aperture and the metal cabochon. Four new rivets on the bezel further enhance the powerful design.

The watch's iconic dial, on which Cartier has preserved the circular striated pattern, the rail track, and the Roman numerals, has received the same treatment. The difference lies in the meticulous decorative techniques, an 'appliqué' effect created by a stamping tool, which adds relief, and a varnish applied to the index and a transferred rail track.

Like a true dashboard, the dial on the steel versions features blue or anthracite sword-shaped hands coated with Super-LumiNova®.

MOVEMENTS AND BRACELET: CHOICES OF TECHNOLOGY AND ERGONOMICS PUSHED TO THEIR LIMITS

The Roadster watch – a perfect illustration of Cartier's watchmaking expertise – is powered by one of two signature self-winding mechanical movements: the 1847 MC for large models and the 1899 MC for medium models.

This level of quality also applies to the Roadster watch’s bracelet, which the design studio has reworked to refine its aesthetics and optimise functionality. From the shorter, more ergonomic links to the  interplay of polished and brushed surfaces, every detail elevates this metal bracelet, which is equipped with the patented QuickSwitch™ system that allows interchangeability.