Cartier, Paris
A fine gold, striated agate and enamel 8-day desk timepiece | Case No. 660, 772 | Movement No. 165'772 | Circa 1920
Auction Closed
May 11, 11:29 AM GMT
Estimate
24,000 - 50,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Case No. 660, 772
Movement No. 165772
Circa 1920
• damascened 8-day movement, lever escapement, 15 jewels, bi-metallic compensation balance, 3 adjustments, backplate signed E. W. & C. Co. Inc. for the European Watch and Clock Co., numbered 165772
• silvered dial, engine-turned sunburst pattern radiating downward from 12 o’clock, plain chapter ring with black Roman numerals, filet sauté bordered minute track, gilded serpentine ring hands with arrow-form tips, plain rectangular panel signed Cartier, further marked France above 6 o’clock
• square case of striated agate with chamfered edges and Japanese corners, a collet-set sugarloaf sapphire to each corner, opaque turquoise enamel bezel with stylised gold continuous laurel leaf motif in relief, gilded strut support to case back signed E. W. & C. Co. Inc, France, numbered 660, 2[?]01, underside of strut numbered 772, winder and hand-setting crown to gilded movement cover, the cover numbered to interior 772
74mm x 74mm
Cartier’s transition from enamel-dominated designs to hardstone cases in the early 20th century marked a pivotal shift in the Maison’s approach to luxury timepieces and objets d’art. While the earliest Cartier desk and table clocks often featured richly coloured guilloché enamel, influenced by Fabergé and the delicate refinement of the Belle Époque, the emergence of Art Deco aesthetics encouraged a move toward bolder materials, stronger contrasts, and a more architectural approach to design. Hardstones such as agate, jade, nephrite, onyx, and rock crystal became increasingly important in defining the modern Cartier style. However, the classicism of the Louis XVI style remained present in a variety of Cartier’s timepieces, particularly in the early 1920s, as seen in the enamel-decorated bezel and elaborate interlocking arrow-tipped serpentine hands of the clock shown here.
When highly polished and used as a primary case material, agate provided a smooth, lustrous surface, allowing light to subtly interact with its natural striations. Its delicate tonal gradations introduced softness and depth to Cartier’s clock designs, offering a striking contrast to the crisp brilliance of enamel, precious stones, and gold mounts. Here, the corners of the case have been softened and shaped with rounded, so-called Japanese corners, lending an added touch of refinement and subtle architectural interest to the design.