Lot 56
  • 56

c - CARTIER/EUROPEAN WATCH & CLOCK CO., CIRCA 1930; A FINE AND EXCEPTIONALLY RARE 8-DAY RECTANGULAR WRISTWATCH

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Description

18k, nickel lever movement with twin barrels to facilitate 8-day duration, signed European Watch Co. Inc., 18 jewels, bi-metallic compensation balance, adjusted to temperature and 2 positions, silvered dial signed Cartier, roman numerals, blued steel moon hands, large rectangular polished case with down-turned angular lugs, screwed down case back, case with hand stamped numbers, with an 18k yellow and pink gold deployant buckle

Catalogue Note


CATALOGUE NOTE

Cartier 8-day wristwatches

8-day wristwatches by Cartier are extremely rare. Research carried out in 1996 for The Magical Art of Cartier sale showed that only 6 early 8-day wristwatches by Cartier were made. The first two were 'tortue' or 'tortoise' shaped and were created in 1929. Two tank models were then made in 1930 and a further two in 1931.

The 8-day movement of the present lot is almost identical to the 8-day movement found in Patek Philippe no.198.451, sold Sotheby's, New York, 1987, lot 178. That wristwatch is illustrated in Huber & Banbery, Patek Philippe Wristwatches, 2nd edition, p.118, pl.155, where it is noted that the ebauche is by LeCoultre. It would seem that with the advent of self-winding/automatic wristwatches, the cost of producing 8-day movements proved prohibitive; this would explain the extremely small numbers made.

Sotheby's has previously offered two similar 8-day rectangular Cartier wristwatches: 26th October 1992, New York, lot 539 and 19th November 1992, Geneva, lot 290.

The case sides of this Cartier are more unusual than the standard Tank and Tank Cintrée wristwatches of the 1920s and 30s. The case itself is straight but features unusual down turned angular lugs. A similar case is illustrated in Baracca, Negretti, Nencini, Le Temps de Cartier, 1989, p.213.