Synonymous for its intrinsic yet iconic case design due to events during the 1960’s, the inspiration is of somewhat a mystical theory. Some say it was inspired by a Cartier Baignoire Allongé that was found in a car crash which resulted in the case being seriously deformed. However, some may say that it was inspired by the succulent body of work by the famed Salvador Dali, “Melting Clocks”. Though, with that said, the collaboration between the celebrated artist was with Piaget and not Cartier. First introduced in 1967, the Cartier Crash was a rebellious concept that was overcoming barriers of the traditional trend of watchmaking. With most wristwatches still maintaining a classic and traditional approach to watchmaking, the Crash by no means stood out.

After the launch of the original Crash, Cartier has introduced various reiterations of the highly sought after and rare model. The present example is a modern tribute featuring a new found “wave-like” texture mimicking the mangled dimension of the case. The interesting texture provides an interesting appeal to the Crash translated in a contemporary way which is repeated on the dial. Launched in 2018 in SIHH, the Crash Radieuse was introduced as a limited edition of 50 pieces. The present example is offered in excellent overall condition with all accessories delivered along with the highly sought after timepiece and numbered 8 out of 50 pieces.