Movements

From the most traditional to the most signature, like the skeleton and the mysterious, and from the smallest, like Tonneau, to the most innovative, like the photovoltaic movement, all the Maison’s calibers meet the same exacting standards, with technical expertise at the service of design. These movements are tested and approved in our laboratory to ensure a high level of reliability in terms of precision and rate stability, as well as resistance to shocks, magnetic fields and mechanical aging.

1847 MC

The name of this mechanical movement with automatic winding—the 1847 MC—recalls the year in which the Maison was founded. This automatic movement, designed for everyday use, is featured in the Maison’s classic watches such as the Santos de Cartier.

1847 MC

The name of this mechanical movement with automatic winding—the 1847 MC—recalls the year in which the Maison was founded. This automatic movement, designed for everyday use, is featured in the Maison’s classic watches such as the Santos de Cartier.

1853 MC

The name of this mechanical movement with automatic winding—the 1853 MC—evokes the founding year of the Maison’s watchmaking. Notably, it is also fitted in the 33 mm versions of our Ballon Bleu watches.

1853 MC

The name of this mechanical movement with automatic winding—the 1853 MC—evokes the founding year of the Maison’s watchmaking. Notably, it is also fitted in the 33 mm versions of our Ballon Bleu watches.

1917 MC

In homage to the year in which Cartier created the Tank watch, this tonneau-shaped mechanical movement with manual winding was designed and developed by the Maison’s watchmakers. The challenge was to adapt the movements' usually-circular shape into narrower cases, such as for the Tank Louis Cartier watch or the Crash watch.

1917 MC

In homage to the year in which Cartier created the Tank watch, this tonneau-shaped mechanical movement with manual winding was designed and developed by the Maison’s watchmakers. The challenge was to adapt the movements' usually-circular shape into narrower cases, such as for the Tank Louis Cartier watch or the Crash watch.

1899 MC

The name the 1899 MC pays tribute to the year in which the 13 Paix boutique opened, the home of Cartier style since 1899. Created in 2019, this movement has been miniaturized to fit inside the Tank Américaine watch.

1899 MC

The name the 1899 MC pays tribute to the year in which the 13 Paix boutique opened, the home of Cartier style since 1899. Created in 2019, this movement has been miniaturized to fit inside the Tank Américaine watch.

430 MC

The extra-thin mechanical movement with manual winding 430 MC was developed in 1996. It is designed for Métiers d’Art watches and limited edition watchmaking creations such as the Cartier Privé Tortue watch.

430 MC

The extra-thin mechanical movement with manual winding 430 MC was developed in 1996. It is designed for Métiers d’Art watches and limited edition watchmaking creations such as the Cartier Privé Tortue watch.

High-efficiency quartz movement

In 2018, Cartier introduced a high-efficiency quartz movement with an autonomy of approximately eight years – twice as long as traditional movements. To achieve this feat, the Cartier Manufacture reworked and resized the movement to reduce its energy consumption, and combined this with a new high-performance battery. This battery is a new generation, long-lasting and more water-resistant model that is optimized against self-discharge by reducing it by half and containing a five percent higher capacity.

High-efficiency quartz movement

In 2018, Cartier introduced a high-efficiency quartz movement with an autonomy of approximately eight years – twice as long as traditional movements. To achieve this feat, the Cartier Manufacture reworked and resized the movement to reduce its energy consumption, and combined this with a new high-performance battery. This battery is a new generation, long-lasting and more water-resistant model that is optimized against self-discharge by reducing it by half and containing a five percent higher capacity.

Solarbeat movement

In 2021, Cartier relaunched its iconic Tank Must by offering an innovative photovoltaic movement that adapts to the collection’s codes. The principle was based on the perforation of the Roman numerals, which were applied to the entire dial. This technical feat allows solar energy to reach the photovoltaic cells hidden beneath the dial. It took two years for the development team to integrate this SolarBeatTM movement, with an estimated autonomy of 16 years, into the Tank Must, the first watch to benefit from this technology.

Santos Skeleton Movement 9611 MC

Inspired by a long tradition at the Maison dating back to the late 1920s, the Cartier skeleton acquired signature status with the creation of the Santos 100 Skeleton watch in 2009. Instantly recognizable by its sculpted bridges in the form of Roman numerals, the 9611 MC caliber is a patented design which renders Cartier the sole watchmaker capable of creating a skeleton movement whose bridges have a time-telling function.

Skeleton Micro-rotor 9629 MC

In 2023, the Cartier Manufacture introduced a new automatic skeleton caliber 9629 MC in tribute to the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. Inventive and narrative, this movement includes a miniaturized functional oscillating weight in the shape of a replica of the Demoiselle, a trailblazing plane designed by the pilot in 1907.

Chrono Monopoussoir 1928 MC

The 1928 MC movement pays tribute to the very first Tortue Chrono Monopoussoir watch, created in 1928. This caliber combines all the chronograph functions—start, stop and reset—in a single push-button integrated into the winding crown. In 2024, Cartier reinvented this complication in a new caliber 1928 MC, which became one of the finest chronograph movements in its watchmaking repertoire.

Masse Mystérieuse 9801 MC

On the Masse Mystérieuse watch, the hands float in the case. The entire 9801 MC movement, which took 8 years to develop, seems weightless. All components that receive energy from the movement, transmission and regulation are integrated in the rotor. The rotor itself is skeletonized to make this moving spectacle visible. In the center, an ultra-sophisticated differential system has been integrated into the movement to prevent the time display from being caught in the mass.

Skeleton Mysterious Hour 9983 MC

The quintessence of Cartier Fine Watchmaking, the 9983 MC movement combines two of the Maison’s signatures, the skeleton and the mysterious display. Based on the notion of emptiness, the hands seem to float, while the skeletonized dial enhances transparency, without ever revealing any of the magic of the mysterious mechanism.