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This exquisite ‘Collection Priveé’ Tortue is a modern interpretation of one of the most enduring and iconic Cartier designs. At its inception in 1912, the Tortue was only the third wrist watch design made by Cartier, with the Santos-Dumont and Tonneau preceding it. Much like its older siblings, the Tortue stood out from the predominantly round watches of the time due to its tortoise-shell inspired design. Despite its long history, the Tortue has only been released in small numbers over the years and is quite a rare sight. This ref. 2496C Tortue is part of the exclusive and limited “Collection Priveé Cartier Paris” (CPCP) from the early 2000s. The tonneau-shaped case with curved sides is executed in 18k yellow-gold and measures 34 x 43 mm. The real star of the show is the exquisite handmade dial. As with all of the CPCP watches, the dial is made of 18k gold, covered with a layer that contains fine guilloché engraving and a rose motif in the centre. The dial, of course, features Cartier’s painted black Roman numerals and closed minute track as well as elegant blued Breguet-style hands that match well with the iconic sapphire-tipped 18k yellow-gold crown. The 2496C is powered by an ultra-thin manual winding movement, with a height of just 2.1 mm that was produced especially for the CPCP collection by Piaget. The watch comes on an original burgundy alligator-leather Cartier strap with an 18k yellow-gold Cartier deployment clasp.