Panthère de Cartier: An Icon Returns
If you could define an era with a watch, the Panthère would represent the 1980’s. Its refined elegance was a perfect match for the power-suits of the time, for men and women alike. What gave the Panthère its prowess was not only its elegance but also the wearing comfort. The case resembles that of the 1904 Santos de Cartier, with its rounded corners and the pins through the bezel. The bracelet is called “Figaro” and still among the most comfortable watch bracelets every created. No wonder that people literally forgot to take it off!
While the original Panthère was also available as a men’s watch and worn by Charlie Sheen in “Wall Street” and Pierce Brosnan in “Remington Steele”, the current version is not. For ladies, there is however enough to choose from. You can go “all eighties” with the steel-gold model or even the Panthère in full yellow gold, but the watch has also adapted to new preferences that have emerged since the eighties. Cartier therefore also offers the Panthère in full rose gold and a very cool limited edition in which the motive of the Figaro bracelet continues in the dial, with an alternating motive in rose gold and black lacquer. Diamonds can also be found on the Panthère, either with a full pave setting, or only on the bezel as a luxurious detail.
It is surprising how modern the Panthère still looks, or perhaps not since its DNA goes back over a century. The Roman numerals combined with the railroad track have proven to be as timeless as a black dress, always appropriate and at home at every occasion. The same goes for the Panthère, and that is why many women will probably also have no problem with the fact that the watch is only available with a quartz movement. Even the original from the eighties has never been offered with a mechanical movement. This also makes sense when you take into consideration the combination of versatile elegance and refined wearing comfort that the Panthère offers: this is a watch that you want to take off as little as possible!
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