152
Cartier
Ref. 2514
Baignoire Allongée
A fine and attractive elongated white gold wristwatch
Full-Cataloguing
- Inspired by the 1950s original Baignoire
- Preserved in overall excellent condition with a charming patina on the dial
The first two decades of the past century were highly prolific from a design perspective. Cartier, for example, introduced a number of pieces that went on to shape the history of the brand, the “Baignoire” being one of them. Launched in 1957 and available in the New York and London boutiques, its design was inspired by an early Cartier oval wristwatch and, notoriously, by the shape of a bathtub—hence its name.
Soon after its introduction, the brand experimented with the model, giving birth to the oversized “allongée” version. So successful was this design that it later served as the basis for another iconic Cartier timepiece—the Crash. The present Cartier Baignoire Allongée in 18k white gold belongs to a modern iteration of the classic watch with few changes. Boasting a case and dial design closely resembling the original example from the late 1950s, the modern iteration features an upgraded cal. 060MC.
Cartier
FrenchWith the Constitution of 1848 came a new standard for luxury in France. Founded one year prior by Louis-Francois Cartier, the house of Cartier was one of the first to use platinum in jewelry making. This incredibly expensive material became the stepping-stone for Cartier to experiment in form, mechanisms and attitude. It helped men move from pocket watches to wristwatches, effectively making the watch much more functional and prominent in a man's overall wardrobe.
Cartier did not only touch on functionality. Inspired by a commissioned painting by George Barbier featuring a black panther at the feet of an elegantly bejeweled woman, Cartier began incorporating wild animals in his designs—most notably, Cartier Panthère rings, bangle bracelets and watches. Yet it wasn't until the late 1960s that the house of Cartier debuted their iconic yellow and rose gold LOVE collection, which includes the famous bracelet that only a special screwdriver can open.