Being that the Calibre Diver is a Cartier there is the requisite use of Roman numeral hour markers as well as the blue sapphire crystal cabochon. Yes, it is very odd to have a dive watch with Roman numeral hour markers – but they aren’t even used on the full dial. Also, the Calibre watch has always been legible, but the hands tend to look small when compared to the large size of the hour markers and other dial details. In honor of trying to be a tool watch, the dial of the pieces are two-tone (well the gold versions more or less are).
Yes, the Calibre Diver is available in steel as well as 18k rose gold. Being a Cartier the gold option is sort of a must. It isn’t terribly priced either. If there is anything positive I can say about the overall industry for 2014 it is that prices are starting to become more reasonable. Honestly, if you can afford the gold version of the watch go for it. Gold and black timepieces tend to look great, and Cartier pulls the Diver off so well it almost makes the gold metal feel more casual as opposed to the gold making the Diver feel more dressy.
When Cartier first announced the Calibre Diver there was murmurs of it also coming with a steel bracelet – and while we only saw the watch with the rubber strap, both a two-tone, and steel bracelet (not a fully gold one) will be available with the watch. As a diver the watch must of course (which most do) have a rotating timing bezel. Rather than follow many brands and create a ceramic bezel or one with a ceramic insert – Cartier used an ADLC (similar to DLC) coating in black for the bezel over steel. It offers a nice polished look that is distinct from polished metal or ceramic. It is also slightly rounded – that is nice. ADLC (like DLC) is also very durable and scratch resistant. The dial is equally nice with some slightly bolder design cues but in many ways it is equal to the standard Cartier Calibre timepiece.
Of great importance is that the movement is in-house made by Cartier. The Calibre Diver features a 1904 MC automatic movement with a subsidiary seconds dial and date. I like the former feature, especially because it is very rare to find in a diver’s watch. While it doesn’t re-write the rules of making a diver, the Calibre Diver is an imminently saleable timepiece that complements the larger Calibre collection nicely. I’d wear one even though “Cartier” is not the first (or second) name I think of when considering a new sport watch. If you like the idea of a comfortable dive-style watch that will still impress the relatives when they come for an impromptu visit – this just might be the right piece.
Price in steel for the Cartier Calibre Diver on the strap is $8,200 which goes up to $8,900 on the steel bracelet. The two-tone version of the Diver on a strap is $10,600 while the two-tone on a bracelet is $13,000. At the top of the collection is the fully 18k rose gold Cartier Calibre Diver on a strap which retails for $28,100. cartier.com
