I’ll just say up front that the Tortue is one of my favorite shapes from Cartier. The way the case curves to meet those straight lugs captures so much of what I love about Cartier – romantic but rigid, Art Deco but also totally modern. (Yes, I have a ’70s Tortue.)
And it’s not just the shape. The Tortue pre-dates the Tank, so it’s got the heritage, too. It even has a modern pedigree, since in 1998 Cartier chose the Tortue as the home for its monopusher chronograph caliber developed in conjunction with THA Èbauche, the join-venture of legendary watchmakers Vianney Halter, Danis Flageolet (De Bethune), and F.P. Journe.