This exquisite ‘Collection Priveé’ Tortue combines one of Cartier’s most enduring and iconic designs with our favorite complication, the perpetual calendar.

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 2646 is part of the illustrious Collection Priveé Cartier Paris (CPCP) and dates back to 2001. The tonneau-shaped case is executed in platinum and measures 35 x 43 mm.

The exceptional handmade dial is executed in classic Cartier style with bold painted black Roman numerals, a closed minute track at the rim, and elegant blued Breguet-style hands that match well with the iconic sapphire-tipped crown. 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 center.

The dial features four sub-registers containing, starting at the top, the month indicator, the date function, a 24-hour counter, and a day function. The uppermost counter also includes a lovely sector-style leap-year indicator to round out the ingenious perpetual calendar complication.

A sapphire display caseback gives a lovely view of the automatic movement, which has been expertly finished with Cartier’s interlocking ‘C’ monogram. The watch comes with the original box and papers as well as a black alligator leather strap with a platinum Cartier deployant clasp.