Visual Description
The 2356 is the Tortue Monopoussoir in 18k yellow gold: a tonneau case of 34 × 43 mm including the lugs, with a single-button chronograph. The silvered dial is guilloché, and Sotheby's describes it as a combination of circles: an outer railway minute track, a ring of black Roman numerals closed by an inner circle, and two sub-dials, for running seconds at 9 and a 30-minute counter at 3. Cartier Paris is signed at 12, and the hands are blued steel.
A sapphire display back held by eight screws shows the Cal. 045MC. On the example photographed here, the bridges are engraved with Cartier's double C and the caliber number, and the case back carries the reference.
Reference Significance
The 2356 is the yellow gold Tortue Monopoussoir of the Collection Privée; the Ref. 2396 is the white gold, and A Collected Man records a pink gold version, each with its own dial. Its hand-wound single-button Cal. 045MC was developed by THA, the workshop of Vianney Halter, Denis Flageollet and François-Paul Journe, whom Phillips describes as working together before each became independent.
Historical Context
Cartier released its first Tortue-shaped watch in 1912 and its first single-button chronograph in 1928, worked through a button in the crown, Phillips notes. The Collection Privée Cartier Paris, formalized as a line in 1998 and run for about ten years, brought the monopoussoir back in a larger case. Phillips essays give 1998 or 1999 for its return and A Collected Man gives 1999; Phillips has also offered a white gold 2396 with a Cartier certificate dated November 1998.
Dated yellow gold examples run from circa 1999 (Phillips) through one with a 2003 certificate (Phillips) to circa 2005 (Sotheby's). Phillips has offered a 2356B with a certificate from November 2011, three years after the line ended.
What to Look For
Case back: It should read 2356, 2356B or 2356E, with a case number in the CC or CE series. Sotheby's records the sapphire display back as secured by eight screws.
Chronograph: One button starts, stops and resets the chronograph. Each press should act cleanly, and the hand should return to zero. A chronograph that sticks needs a watchmaker who knows the Cal. 045MC.
Movement: It should be signed Cartier 045 MC, with 22 jewels. Ask for photographs through the display back.
Dial: Check that the guilloché is even across the dial and that the Roman numerals, minute track and Cartier Paris signature are crisply printed.
Clasp and papers: The examples Phillips and Sotheby's offered have 18k yellow gold Cartier deployant clasps; Antiquorum has offered two on pink gold Cartier clasps, so check that the clasp matches the case. A Cartier certificate carries the selling retailer's stamp and date: Phillips has offered examples with certificates from Spoleto in 2003 and the Netherlands in 2011.
