There's no other watch house quite like Cartier. Since its foundation in 1847, the brand has served as the lodestar of luxury, setting a precedent for craftsmanship, timeless aesthetics, and functionality. Key silhouettes like the Tank, Baignoire, and Panthère are recognizable to both watch collectors and watch admirers; when you spot one on someone's wrist, you know that the wearer appreciates their watch as much more than just a time-telling piece. The French Maison's legacy is lofty, but in Cartier's new Time Unlimited exhibit in Miami, its pioneering contributions to the watch world are celebrated in full.
On view in Miami's Design District for a limited window from Dec 7th to the 22nd, the exhibition marks its North American debut and takes visitors on a journey through Cartier's illustrious history. The curated presentation centers around themes like Watchmaker of Shapes, Pioneering Spirit, and Culture of Design and invites visitors to explore the luxury brand through striking displays and presentations—including Time Project, a film produced in collaboration with Cartier Global ambassador Jake Gyllenhaal.
"Cartier has long balanced craftsmanship with innovation, embracing the Maison's savoir-faire to create elegant and enduring timepieces," Walter Bolognino, President & CEO of Cartier North America, said in a press statement. "This installation captures Cartier's endless quest for designing creations that link well-balanced beauty, rigorous technical expertise, and Maison’s rich heritage."
Visitors are invited to acquaint themselves with some of Cartier's most iconic timepieces, including Santos de Cartier, Baignoire, Panthère de Cartier, Ballon Bleu, and more. Guest will also have the pleasure of viewing limited-edition, extremely rare timepieces, namely an assortment from the Cartier Collection, which contains some of the brand's earliest and most exquisite pieces.
Cartier partnered with Perron-Roettinger, a Los Angeles-based design studio heralded for its unique visual language and immersive interiors, to translate the watch house's esteemed history into an exhibit. The studio's partners, Willo Perron and Brian Roettinger, dove deep into Carier's archives when crafting the exhibition. Their goals were to reflect the heritage house's enormous impact—historically, currently, and all that's to come—through exploratory interiors and design.
"The whole concept for the exhibition is about celebrating the iconic shapes that Cartier has created—everything is based on the forms of the watches themselves and the materiality of the watches," Willo Perron, a founding partner of the studio, detailed in the press release. When combing through the watch house's archive, Perron said the inspiration was endless. "I was surprised by the sheer amount of forms and creative applications; the craftsmanship I saw firsthand in my visit was all incredible. I appreciate how many iconic moments and people have been Cartier watch wearers. What an iconic thing to be associated with, both so unexpected and powerful," he described.
Cartier's Time Unlimited exhibit, found at 45 NE 41st in Miami's Design District, is open daily, except on Tuesdays, now until Dec. 22nd. For those unable to visit the mesmerizing showing in Miami, scroll onward for a glimpse inside.
