Too Little Too Late!

In life, people say it's never to late to reinvent yourself or start something new. I agree, but it depends on what the hell we are talking about? I am all for change and creating new stuff. I will always try no matter what the odds? When it comes to watchmaking, it's a little riskier than that. I feel watch companies today have no clue what they are doing, and for some they clearly get they're ideas off of a McDonald's Happy Meal toy. It's pathetic really. Some things are worth discovering. I am all for movement changes, collaborations with other manufacturers if it's the right fit, limited productions, and even strap changes. I guess I just have a problem when a company such as Cartier who is known for they're Santos, Pasha, and Tank watches are trying to conquer the complicated technical world. In some ways, it's really impressive that they would do this, because I know they have gigantic arrogant French Balls. I guess for them it's a billboard, having a very complicated timepiece that they normally would never produce because it gets people talking, and it may or may not attract that consumer who is into the highly complicated shit to take notice to a brand he would have never thought off. From that angle it's very smart. The amazing thing is that the new Cartier Monopusher Tourbillon is actually a really good looking watch with some serious complication.

For this, Cartier partnered up with Renauld & Papi to construct this mechanical wonder. Two complex movements were built to make this watch, which has been in the making since 2005. First the monopusher chronograph movement, and second the Tourbillon movement. The bottom line no matter how incredible or beautiful or limited a piece like this is, collectors are not buying Toubillons any more due to two key factors. The Russians, and JLC. The Russian Customer has been the biggest buyer of Tourbillons in the world. They love they're opulence and they love they're complication, but they, like the rest of the complicated clientele only like buying Breguet, or Patek for those sort of things because they are elitist who know they're shit forwards and backwards.If you have a hundred thousand dollars to burn in this very challenging economy,

I doubt no matter how stupid you are, that you are gonna run to the Cartier boutique and buy it, because you might as well play Russian Roulette and blow your brains out, because this watch will be worth not even a quarter of it's original retail value, because the reality is, there is no demand. The second key Factor is JLC, who is a sister brand to Cartier, when they showed the world that they can build a Rose Gold Tourbillon for under forty thousand dollars, it sent the entire tourbillon market into a bloody uproar, and people realized Why should I spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, when I can spend less than $50,000 and purchase an in house manufactured turbillons from one of the finest watch brands in the world?

I say very respectfully of course to Cartier, leave it to the masters of complications, Like the Patek's, Breguet's and A Lange & Sohne's of the world to give the world what they are best at, THe Tourbillons, Minute Repeaters, and Perpetual Calenders , and stick to your brand philosophy and what you are known for. Like Rolex, who I respect immensely because of the fact that no matter what the trends are for almost one hundred years they haven't budged or moved for anyone, because they're brand philosophy has been so clear and yielded them triumphant success even in the middle of this giant Global Crisis. It was a valiant effort for Cartier, but unfortunately too little too late.

pic courtesy of www.perpetuelle.com