Cartier - The Geneva Watch Auction: XI Geneva Sunday, June 28, 2020 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Cartier
    Year: 1996
    Reference No: 2488
    Case No: A113278 and 025/300
    Model Name: Tank Asymétrique
    Material: 18K yellow gold
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 9 P2, 18 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Alligator
    Clasp/Buckle: 18K yellow gold Cartier deployant clasp
    Dimensions: 23mm Width and 33mm Length
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by Cartier original certificate, product literature and presentation box.

  • Catalogue Essay

    In 1996, Cartier released a limited edition based on the original "Parallelogram" from 1936. Always staying true to its core values, Cartier was constantly innovating by pushing the boundaries of design and form, particularly in the first part of the 20th century. The tilted form of the watch was intended to make reading the time while driving easier, which also explains the legible Arabic numerals.

    The Tank Asymétrique was produced as a limited edition with 300 pieces cased in yellow gold and 100 pieces in platinum.

    The present example is preserved in excellent condition and is accompanied by its original certificate, product literature and presentation box.

    So desirable and attractive is this model that Cartier launched a new interpretation of the Tank Asymétrique in its 2020 releases.

  • Artist Biography

    Cartier

    French

    With 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. 

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Ref. 2488
A highly rare and attractive limited edition asymmetric wristwatch with original certificate and presentation box

1996
23mm Width and 33mm Length
Case, dial, movement and clasp signed

Estimate
CHF6,000 - 9,000 
€5,600-8,300
$6,600-9,800

Sold for CHF37,500

Contact Specialist

Alexandre Ghotbi
Head of Watches, Continental Europe and the Middle East

41 79 637 1724
aghotbi@phillips.com

The Geneva Watch Auction: XI

Geneva Auction 27 - 28 June 2020