Cartier - The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVIII Hong Kong Friday, May 24, 2024 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Cartier
    Year: Circa 2022
    Reference No: WGTA0071
    Case No: 09/16, 4285
    Model Name: Tank Asymétrique "Milano"
    Material: Platinum
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 1917 MC, 19 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Crocodile
    Clasp/Buckle: Platinum Cartier pin buckle
    Dimensions: 47mm length x 26mm width
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by Cartier warranty card dated 26 January 2022, certificate, instruction manual, product literature, fitted presentation box and outer packaging.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Debuting in 1936 as the Paralélogramme, the Cartier Asymétrique was born amid an era of bold case designs and innovation. A creative twist on the classic Tank, this angular model shifted the case and dial 30 degrees, lying flat on the wrist. Encapsulating Cartier's avant-garde spirit, the Asymétrique joins mythic silhouettes like the Cintrée and Crash as cornerstones of the brand's brilliant history.

    Revived through the decades in limited editions, the Tank Asymétrique underscores its importance in the Cartier canon. The present example encased in platinum, numbered 9 of just 16 pieces made, celebrates the reopening of Cartier’s Milan boutique with subtle burgundy accents and an eye-catching dial layout. The “16” motif honors the boutique's address at 16 Via Montenapoleone.

    Complete with all its accessories and offered in excellent condition, this Asymétrique will delight even the most discerning Cartier collector. Its rarity and subtle, avant-garde elegance cement its place among the maison's most prized silhouettes.

  • 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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Σ825

Ref. WGTA0071
A very fine, rare and attractive limited edition platinum asymmetrical wristwatch with burgundy numerals, warranty and presentation box, numbered 09 of a limited edition of 16 pieces made exclusively for the Milan boutique

Circa 2022
47mm length x 26mm width
Case, dial, movement and buckle signed

Estimate
HK$320,000 - 640,000 
€38,400-76,800
$41,000-82,100

Sold for HK$482,600

Contact Specialist

Thomas Perazzi
Deputy Chairman, Watches, Head of Watches, Asia
+852 2318 2031
WatchesHK@phillips.com
 

Gertrude Wong
Head of Sale, Hong Kong
+ 852 2318 2045
gertrudewong@phillips.com
 

The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVIII

Hong Kong Auction 24 - 25 May 2024