Cartier

The Cartier Crash, one of the Maison's most iconic timepieces, embraces the abstract concept of time with its distinctive asymmetrical case. During its early years, Cartier London primarily acted as a retailer, offering watches sourced from Paris and Switzerland rather than designing or creating its own timepieces. However, a significant shift occurred in the mid-1960s under the leadership of Jean-Jacques Cartier. Introduced in 1967, the origin of the Crash watch's design has sparked various theories. Some attribute its inspiration to Salvador Dali's iconic melting clock depicted in the painting "Persistence of Memory," while others believe it originated from a deformed Cartier Baignoire case that had been involved in a car crash. However, the truth behind its creation lies in the collaborative efforts of Jean-Jacques Cartier and the imaginative designer Rupert Emmerson.

In addition to the original Crash, a handful of reedition Crash watches have been produced in small batches over the years or in this instance, at the request of a specific collector. In 2006, a US-based collector entered the Paris Cartier Boutique and placed an order for a Crash. The watch was delivered in 2007 having been made in Cartier’s Swiss watchmaking factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The silvered dial with roman numerals features the Cartier “secret signature” in the “VII” numeral and its SWISS MADE designation discreetly located at 6 o’clock unlike the 2018 London reissue where it is featured in the center of the dial. The watch bears both its year of creation (2007) and production number (No 1) to the case back.