Ronde Louis Cartier Watch WR000251 Written by E. Lowry

The company describes the Ronde Louis Cartier as having been designed “for people who fall in love with ‘timeless time’.” At first I wasn’t sure what Cartier meant by this, but now I think I do. The silver grained dial is marked with both Roman and Arabic numerals, which is an exceptionally interesting innovation since the Roman numerals mean that the time can be read in the “traditional” way, while the Arabic numerals allow the time to also be read according to the 24 hour clock—which, if you live or travel in continental Europe—may be very helpful. Incorporating these two different methods of telling time—the old and the new—provide a compelling touch to this model. Distinguishing features of this watch also include an 18K white gold circular-grained crown topped with a single round-cut diamond as well as a diamond encrusted 18K white gold bezel. I hasten to add, however, that the bezel is pushed back leaving the dial open for an easy read. Further, the diamonds are small and tasteful, and provide a simple rim around the dial rather than calling too much attention to themselves.

Pros: This watch runs on a quartz movement, which means that it is very reliable and will need minimal maintenance. Most quartz watches only need a battery change every couple of years. This timepiece also includes a scratch-proof sapphire crystal and an 18K gold adjustable deployant buckle.

Possible cons: Believe it or not, there can be cons associated with a sapphire crystal. While the sapphire crystal is more scratch resistant than its cheaper acrylic counterpart, it can smash more easily because it’s a bit less flexible. However, the Ronde Louis Cartier does not appear to be a watch one would wear while rough-housing or playing sports. More importantly, there is no mention of anti-reflective treatment on the watch’s crystal, meaning that telling the time could be a challenge in bright light. This watch is water-resistant to 30 m (about 100 feet) although the alligator strap means that swimming and/or showering while wearing it is out of the question. The strap is also likely to fade and its color will appear uneven. If this bothers you, you will need to replace it. If, however, you like a more authentic “worn” look, you’ll appreciate the way this watch looks as it ages.

Finally, this watch is also an interesting size; 29 mm could be construed as a very small men’s watch or a women’s watch and would seem appropriate for either gender in a variety of contexts. For this reason (if you are comfortable with quartz and leather straps) I would say it is a worthy purchase.