Though Cartier has produced some fine mechanical watches during its 170 year history (such as the perennial favorite, the Louis Cartier), by the 1990s the brand was known primarily as a producer of quartz watches. In an effort to rejuvenate their status as a premier manufacture, in 1998 Cartier launched the Collection Privée Cartier Paris, or CPCP for short. The Collection Privée resurrected classic wristwatch designs from the Cartier archives and utilized high-grade mechanical movements from the likes of Piaget,, and Girard-Perregaux. 

Conceived in the 1920s, the Torture featured an entirely different silhouette than that of the more traditional Tank. While their Tank collection grew to include a number of shapes (Française, Louis, Cintrée orBasculante, just to name a few), the Tortue stood out with its sensuous curves that lent themselves well to many different watches — from time-only models to more involved complications.

This example, a Reference 2498, features a 34mm 18K rose gold tonneau case with factory-set diamond bezel and a cabochon crown with a sapphire inset. The silver dial features a guilloche finish with Roman indices, a matching blued-steel Breguet handset and a hidden Cartier signature at 7 o'clock.

Powered by manually wound movement, this piece is outfitted with a signed black alligator leather strap with a 18K rose gold deployant clasp. 

Don't be fooled by its svelte profile. This piece packs some serious design punch from one of the best design houses on the planet!