Cartier and European Watch and Clock Co
‘Ligne S’ clock | An enamel, glass, rock crystal, Art Déco clock with coral beads and mother-of-pearl dial, Circa 1930
Auction Closed
April 24, 08:45 AM GMT
Estimate
150,000 - 400,000 HKD
Lot Details
Description
Cartier and European Watch and Clock Co
‘Ligne S’ clock
An enamel, glass, rock crystal, Art Déco clock with coral beads and mother-of-pearl dial, Circa 1930
Dial: mother-of-pearl
Calibre: mechanical, 15 jewels
Case: mirrored surface, black enamel, coral beads, rock crystal and enamel plinth
Case number: 1’635, 7
Size: 14.6 cm length x 5.5 cm width x 16 cm height
Signed: dial signed Cartier, case and movement signed European Watch and Clock Co
Accessories: none
By the late 1920s, Jeanne Toussaint had founded Cartier’s “S Department”— named for "Silver" or "Soir" (French for "evening") — to produce elegant yet practical objects like handbags, vanity cases, and smoking accessories. Unlike Cartier’s more opulent creations, these pieces were often designed without gemstones, embracing a streamlined aesthetic. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the department’s refined yet understated designs gained widespread popularity, eventually accounting for nearly a third of Cartier’s sales in those years.
This “Ligne S" clock is a rare example of the department’s work. A similar piece belonged to Eric Nussbaum, the first director of the Cartier Collection, who was tasked with acquiring the most significant examples of the company’s craftsmanship. The clock reflects Toussaint’s keen awareness of contemporary design trends, embodying the bold, minimalist principles championed by the Union des Artistes Modernes (UAM). Its design is striking: a rose-mirrored surface with a mother-of pearl-dial, a black Roman numeral chapter ring, and skyscraper-inspired hands, all framed within a sleek black enamel case adorned with coral beads. The interplay of light and shadow, mirrored and opaque surfaces, creates a geometric play of contrasts.
An exceptional addition to any collection, the present clock combines simplicity with elegance, embracing Art Déco aesthetics, remaining unmistakably Cartier and recalling the company's history of innovative timepieces that began in 1912 with horologist Maurice Couët.
卡地亞及 European Watch & Clock Co ‘Ligne S’
琺琅、玻璃及白水晶裝飾藝術風格鐘、備珊瑚珠及珠母貝錶盤，約1930年製