The Minerva watch manufacture, established in 1858 in Villeret, Switzerland, produces fine handmade watches in a time-honored fashion. The expertise, precision, and grand tradition of watchmaking has been passed down for generations. An important and forward-looking brand, it encourages new and modern tools and production, while still maintaining the spirit of a small company. In 2007, Minerva joined forces with renowned fountain pen producer Montblanc, and created the Minerva Institute for Research in Fine Watchmaking to safeguard the company’s savoir-faire and craftsmanship. The carefully-chosen master watchmakers in the Minerva workshops continue to make watches by hand, respecting the traditional principles of the industry. Reviving the most sophisticated tradition of Swiss watchmaking, legendary models have made their appearance, from the two single button chronographs of the Villeret 1858 Collection, to the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec that pays homage to the inventor of the “instrument of writing time” and is the first Montblanc movement entirely conceived in the workshops of the manufacture. In 2008, Minerva celebrated its 150th anniversary, marking one and a half centuries of watch making history, and a rich heritage of tradition and techniques that is preserved by Minerva and Montblanc in the Minerva Institute.

Timepieces are the perfect distillation of Cartier's craft: At once bona fide jewels, the ultimate expression of style, and miracles of detail and precision, they are at the heart of all that the legendary house represents. Equal in beauty, value and design to Cartier's jewels, each timepiece is an object of unparalleled luxury and elegance, emblematic of the "Cartier style." Over 450 pieces, including the complete collection of "mystery clocks" whose hands seem to float in mid-air, are presented here, representing over 150 years of the finest horology. Each object is accompanied by its individual history and detailed technical specifications. Full-scale reproductions, including twelve gatefolds, are followed by an illustrated and comparative chronology, glossary of terms, and complete index.