Cartier - The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XV Hong Kong Monday, November 28, 2022 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Cartier
    Year: Circa 1992
    Case No: A110’298, inside caseback stamped 5325
    Model Name: Crash
    Material: Platinum
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 160, 17 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Leather
    Clasp/Buckle: 18K white gold Cartier deployant clasp
    Dimensions: 21mm width x 38mm length
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by Cartier product literature, presentation box and outer packaging.

  • Catalogue Essay

    An icon of the swinging sixties crafted by the great maker of shaped watches, the Cartier Crash remains, not just one of the most radical designs born in 1967 but one of the greatest throughout the decades. With a mysterious origin of the birth of this model, rumour has it that the inspiration comes from a melted Cartier Baignoire from the fire of a car crash, others refer it to the surrealist Salvador Dali’s most recognised work, Persistence of Memory. While the tale of the timepiece is compelling and romantic, the origin was addressed in Francesca Cartier Brickell’s book, The Cartiers, where she recounts a conversation with her grandfather Jean-Jacques Cartier, about how the audacity of the design was sketched out with artisan Rupert Emmerson.

    The Cartier Crash is certainly a superlative timepiece and it is perhaps the most celebrated and sought-after Cartier wristwatch ever by esteemed collectors. The present timepiece produced in the early 1990s is one of the rarest variants amongst its breed, the Cartier Crash in platinum. Extremely limited in production, to date, no more than a handful of examples have graced the auction market. Furthermore, those who do own one hardly ever sell them due to the rarity of the model, which underlies the exceptional desirability of the present timepiece. Cased in the cool of platinum, the Crash features an extraordinarily warm off white dial, each Roman numeral painted with the classic black colour, making the iconic blued steel hand stands out immediately when one gaze upon the watch. Gorgeously preserved, the present example with a voluptuous case and sinuous contour uninterrupted is a gem for many. With roaring demands for the Cartier Crash in recent times, the present example is surely a rare opportunity that hardly ever surface for the discerned collector yearning for this beloved icon.

  • 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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PLEASE NOTE, THIS LOT IS A PREMIUM LOT. TO BID ON THE LOT YOU MUST COMPLETE AND SATISFY OUR PREMIUM LOT PRE-REGISTRATION PROCEDURE NO LATER THAN 24 HOURS BEFORE THE START OF THE AUCTION SESSION IN WHICH IT IS OFFERED. PLEASE ALSO NOTE THAT ALL BIDDERS MUST PLACE BIDS IN PERSON, VIA ABSENTEE BID, OR BY TELEPHONE. PLEASE CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT FOR DETAILS.

863

An extremely rare and highly attractive platinum asymmetric wristwatch with presentation box

Circa 1992
21mm width x 38mm length
Case, dial, movement and clasp signed

Estimate
HK$1,600,000 - 3,200,000 
€190,000-381,000
$205,000-410,000

Sold for HK$2,646,000

Contact Specialist

Thomas Perazzi
Head of Watches, Asia
+852 2318 2001
WatchesHK@phillips.com

The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XV

28 - 29 November 2022 (Online Registration ends 27 Nov, 2pm HKT)