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Actor Tom Cruise spotted wearing Cartier

Tom Cruise made the press circuit rounds for Top Gun: Maverick — one of the most anticipated sequels in Hollywood history — and sharp-eyed watch spotters noticed the actor had chosen his wrist real estate carefully: a stainless steel Cartier Calibre de Cartier Chronograph, reference W7100045, anchored to what appears to be a matching steel bracelet.

The Calibre de Cartier Chronograph Ref. W7100045 was introduced as part of Cartier's broader push into serious in-house watchmaking that began in earnest around 2010. The 45mm steel case houses the Manufacture Calibre 1904-CH MC — a COSC-certified column-wheel chronograph movement beating at 28,800 vph with a 48-hour power reserve. Crucially, this was Cartier demonstrating to the industry that it could build a technically credible chronograph from scratch, not merely casing a bought-in Valjoux. The dial is characteristically restrained: silvered with two contrasting subdials at 3 and 9 o'clock, a small seconds register, and the iconic blued sword-shaped hands Cartier has employed for over a century.

Among collectors, the Calibre de Cartier line occupies an interesting position. Purists who once dismissed Cartier as primarily a jewelry house reconsidered after the 1904-CH MC debuted — the movement is beautifully finished and technically sound. The W7100045 references have held relatively stable value, appreciated most by collectors who want Swiss manufacture credibility without the waiting lists and premiums attached to Rolex or Patek Philippe sport chronographs.

Tom Cruise wearing a Cartier rather than the expected pilot's watch or dive tool watch is a deliberate signal. The Calibre Chronograph reads as a worldly, cosmopolitan choice — the kind of watch a man wears when he wants to communicate taste without broadcasting a balance sheet. For a press tour promoting a film about elite naval aviators, it's a quietly confident left turn.

Retail on the Cartier Calibre de Cartier Chronograph Ref. W7100045 was set at approximately $8,750 USD. On the secondary market, well-kept examples with original bracelet and box and papers trade in a relatively narrow band, reflecting steady rather than speculative demand — a respectable performer for a manufacture chronograph at this price tier.