Cartier And Rolex Mark Milestones With Standout Creations At WWG 2026

Cartier Crash Skeleton

At this year’s Watches & Wonders Geneva, where the industry gathers to signal its direction for the year ahead, a noticeable split emerged: many brands leaned into restraint, while a select few chose to make noise. Among those taking the latter route were Cartier and Rolex, each using significant anniversaries as a springboard for releases that balance heritage with fresh expression.

Cartier Crash Squelette

Cartier is celebrating a decade of its Privé collection, a platform dedicated to revisiting and reinterpreting some of its most unconventional shapes. Since its launch in 2016, the line has served as a canvas for the maison’s more daring instincts, and for this anniversary Cartier returns to three of its most recognizable forms: the Tank, Tortue, and Crash.

Cartier Crash Skeleton with new 1967 MC shaped movement.

The Crash, in particular, takes on new dimension this year with the introduction of the Crash Squelette. While other releases—such as the flexible, diamond-set jewelry watch and the revived Roadster—may capture broader attention, the skeletonized Crash speaks directly to Cartier’s technical and artistic depth.

At its core is the in-house caliber 1967 MC, a movement engineered to follow the contours of the case itself. Comprising 142 components, each meticulously finished, the movement is openworked to its structural limits, removing as much material as possible while preserving integrity and precision. The result is both architectural and expressive: a movement that doesn’t just power the watch but defines its visual identity.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36

For Rolex, the occasion is the centenary of the Oyster—its landmark waterproof case introduced in 1926. A defining moment in horology, the Oyster fundamentally changed expectations around durability and everyday wear. Developed under founder Hans Wilsdorf, the hermetically sealed case proved its mettle in real-world conditions, most famously when Mercedes Gleitze completed her English Channel swim wearing a Rolex Oyster.

A century on, the Oyster remains central to the brand’s identity, and this year Rolex places it firmly back in the spotlight with a series of celebratory models. Among them, the Oyster Perpetual 36 stands out for its bold, graphic dial. Rendered in vivid lacquered tones, the display spells out the Rolex name in a geometric, grid-like composition, with alternating colors that nod subtly to the Jubilee design language of the late 1970s. The watch retains its classic Oystersteel construction and 100-meter water resistance, but its personality is distinctly contemporary—playful, expressive, and clearly designed to mark the moment.