Cartier, London

Cartier, London

Crash

A rare and iconic yellow gold distorted oval wristwatch, believed to be one of only three examples made in 1987, accompanied by its original gold deployant buckle, Circa 1987

Dial: white asymmetrical dial obliquely script signed Cartier London, distorted and stretched black radial Roman numerals, inner almond shaped border, blued steel épée hands

Calibre: 7’’’ oval calibre 841 Jaeger-LeCoultre movement signed Cartier, grained decoration, lever escapement, 18 jewels, annular balance, 3 adjustments, flat hairspring

Movement number: numbered 17

Case: 18k yellow gold, distorted oval case with curvature and undulating rounded bezel, t-bar Vendôme-style concealed lugs to case back, beaded cabochon sapphire-set crown, case back exterior with London hallmarks for 18k gold and date letter ’N’ for 1987, [JC] Jean-Jacques Cartier punch

Case number: numbered 39153A and script engraved Cartier London

Closure: brown unsigned leather strap and 18k gold deployant buckle with asymmetric ‘D’ clasp, the blades asymmetrically arranged to accommodate the strap’s off-set alignment, London hallmarks for 18k gold and date letter ’N’ for 1987, [JC] Jean-Jacques Cartier punch, numbered 39153A and script engraved Cartier London

Size: 42.5 mm length x 23 mm width

Accessories: Additional Cartier Crash London dial, presentation box and travelling pouch

Following Jean-Jacques Cartier’s departure from the company and the consolidation of Cartier’s global operations in 1976, the Wright & Davies case-making workshop closed, bringing an end to Cartier London’s creative era of wristwatch manufacturing. However, in the late 1980s, Cartier London, produced a very small and exclusive batch of Crash watches, to which the present example belongs. While exact production figures remain unclear, the late Cartier specialist Harry Fane was informed by Cartier’s Geneva archivist in March 2017 that the present watch was one of only three London Crash watches made in 1987 as a special order.

The present watch faithfully retains the dimensions of the original 1967 Crash, with a ‘Cartier London’ signature in a similar elegant script as the earliest examples. Its soft, flowing curves mirror the distinctive distortion of the original’s case, ensuring a seamless continuation of the design. The cases for these watches were crafted for Cartier by Arthur Withers, a former Wright & Davies craftsman, who, upon the workshop’s closure, was allowed to retain equipment and maquettes used for several Cartier London watch models. Despite its unconventional origins, the Cartier Crash has endured for more than half a century, ensuring its place as one of the most collectible and celebrated Cartier timepieces. A product of London’s most daring era, it remains a symbol of artistic defiance and avant garde luxury.