Cartier Les Historiques Chronograph “Retro” Watch Review 2

The Cal 1141, a lightly-modified Lemania 2320, is a movement befitting for a fine chronograph. Still used by Cartier Santos Galbee Replica today, the Lemania 2320 is a descendent of the movement used in the first Omega Seamaster Professionals, the Omega Cal 321. While not an in-house movement by any stretch, the Lemania 2320 has been used by only a select group of brands: Breguet, Patek Philippe, Roger Dubuis, Cartier and Ulysee Nardin. Classically structured with a column wheel and horizontal switching, the movement beats at a leisurely 18,000 v.p.h. (2.5 Hz). Traditionalists will appreciate that the Cal 1141 comes equipped with a Breguet overcoil and a finely-polished Swan’s neck regulator, while modernists will scoff at the absence of a proper seconds hack. The 48 hour power reserve is adequate, but not sufficient to keep the watch running if it is stuffed into a drawer and left unwound over the weekend. This particular example runs a bit fast, with an average gain of around 7 seconds per day. This is acceptable for a dress watch that does not pretend to be a chronometer.

Movement finishing of the Cal 1141 is very good, but not extraordinary. The chronograph bridges are decorated with a tasteful C?tes de Genève finish, while the chronograph levers are brushed with a light satin finish. The baseplate, visible behind the screwed balance wheel, is finished with a fine perlage. The edges of the bridges, levers and screw slots have been beveled and polished, but there are no sharp internal or external edges – the hallmarks of an exceptional movement finish. While not the technical equal of Patek Philippe’s Cal. CH 27-70, the Cal. 1141 is an excellent movement in its own right. Although maintenance costs are high, the Lemania 2320 has a reputation for being a reliable movement. Good reliability might be expected when one’s direct predecessor survived many trips to the moon.

Operating the watch is a simple task, as the crown has only two positions: winding and time-setting. The lack of a date mechanism renders the watch nearly idiot-proof (over-winding is still possible). Audible clicks can be heard when the crown is turned to wind the watch and the winding resistance is close to ideal; as is the amount of effort required to operate the two chronograph buttons. Pusher feel is fairly crisp, but not buttery-smooth like the class-leading Lange Datograph.

Since the Les Historiques Chronograph is out-of-production, most examples found in the marketplace will come on a replacement strap of some sort. If the original owner was fastidious and removed the stock strap before wearing it, as was the case with my watch, you’d note that the black matte alligator strap is well-crafted and the flattened tip lends it a formal appearance. The navy blue strap my watch currently sports, as seen in the snapshots, gives the watch a less formal look. Consider a brown strap if you are not currently rolling with the Watch Anish crowd.

The pin buckle is traditional, functional and well-crafted. The quarter-Maltese cross buckle features beautiful edging and curvature. The flat prong buckle is milled from a solid piece of gold, for what it’s worth. Those of you who are used to deployant clasps should take extra care while fastening and removing the watch. If strongly preferred, deployant devotees can purchase a new yellow gold deployant from http://www.syrauto.com/cartier-pasha-replica-uk.html at considerable cost (more than 3000 USD).

Despite its unfashionable diameter, the watch looks sharp on the wrist. And thanks to these modest dimensions, the watch will fit comfortably on large and small wrists alike. Those who habitually remove their bulkier watches to use a keyboard may find that there is no need to do so with this slim watch. When viewed from the side, the strap can be seen to follow the wrist’s natural curvature, but the gap between the wrist and the bottom of the elevated lugs looks a bit awkward.

With a market price ranging between 10,000 USD to 16,000 USD (depending on condition and your negotiating skills) for the silver-dialed 18k yellow gold model, the cartier roadster replica Les Historiques Chronograph delivers appreciable value. For this reason and its overall excellence, the watch has become well known to many collectors. The platinum and silver-dialed version will occasionally pop up at auctions, generally hammering for a bit less than 20,000 USD. The rarest variations, like the salmon guilloche-dialed Platinum piece, command prices upwards of 25,000 USD. When purchasing a used watch, make sure to enquire about its servicing history. In all likelihood, the watch will require maintenance and you will need to squirrel away an extra 1,500 USD to cover the costs.

The classic Lemania 2320 movement is a feast for the eyes, but it is the stunning retro case that makes this watch a pleasure to strap on, whenever a worthy occasion presents itself. If you are willing to invest the time and funds, the Cartier Les Historiques Chronograph will provide your wrist with stylish and substantial companionship for years to come.

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