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Singer Mika spotted wearing Cartier

Mika — the Lebanese-British pop auteur and television personality behind hits like 'Grace Kelly' — was recently photographed wearing what appears to be the Cartier Tank Louis Cartier Skeleton in white gold, reference W5310012. The sighting is notable not only for the celebrity profile but for the caliber of the piece on his wrist: this is one of the most architecturally ambitious interpretations of the Tank ever produced.

The Cartier Tank Louis Cartier Skeleton W5310012 was unveiled at SIHH 2014 as part of Cartier's Fine Watchmaking collection. At launch, it was offered exclusively in 18-karat white gold, with a rose gold variant introduced in subsequent years. The case measures 25.5 mm × 33.7 mm — faithful to the classic Tank Louis proportions — and houses Calibre 9981 MC, a skeletonized manual-wind movement developed in-house. The defining structural feature is the movement's suspension between two sapphire crystal discs, which replace the traditional case back and dial substrate and deliver a 360-degree view of the skeletonized architecture. The sapphire bridge construction is both technically demanding and aesthetically theatrical.

Calre 9981 MC beats at 21,600 vph and offers a power reserve of approximately 38 hours. The skeletonized bridges retain the Roman numeral chapter ring — a subtle nod to Cartier's dial-making heritage — while stripping away any visual mass. The result is a movement you read as sculpture before you read as timekeeping instrument.

For collectors, the Tank Louis Cartier Skeleton occupies a specific and respected niche. It bridges the decorative arts lineage of the Tank — a design originating in 1917 and refined by Louis Cartier himself — with genuine manufacture-level complications. The white gold reference W5310012 commands particular attention given its limited introduction window as the original version of the skeletonized line.

Mika's choice aligns with his broader aesthetic: maximally expressive without being excessive. On the grey market, the white gold Cartier Tank Louis Cartier Skeleton W5310012 trades at a premium above retail, reflecting both its discontinued status and sustained collector demand for Cartier Fine Watchmaking references with in-house movements.