The Shapes of Cartier
Cartier, Paris
Obus | A yellow gold square wristwatch with bullet-form lugs and gold deployant buckle | Circa 1925
Auction Closed
May 10, 02:36 PM GMT
Estimate
12,000 - 18,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Dial: cream dial, black stretched radial Roman numerals, inner chemin-de fer minute track, blued steel Breguet hands
Calibre: 9’’’ circular LeCoultre movement signed European Watch and Clock Co. Inc., damascened Côtes de Genève decoration, lever escapement, 18 jewels, bi-metallic balance with timing and poising screws, Breguet hairspring
Movement number: beneath dial 26'348
Case: 18k yellow gold polished square case, chamfered bezel, bullet-form lugs, gold screw-set lug bars, case back secured by 4 screws to case sides, later cabochon-set notched winding crown
Case numbers: 16'584, 713'920
Closure: later 18k gold deployant buckle stamped Cartier 18k
Size: 22.5 x 29.5 mm (width x length including lugs)
Box: yes
Papers: no
Accessories: Cartier presentation box
Chaille, François & Cologni, Franco, The Cartier Collection: Timepieces, Paris: Flammarion, 2006. See p. 167 and also 286 for an Obus with subsidiary seconds.
The Obus takes its name from the French word for “shell” and was, according to legend, inspired by the shape of artillery shells.
Introduced in 1923 by Cartier, the model features distinctive rounded, bullet shaped lugs that elegantly integrate the strap with the watch case. It stands among the earliest and most recognizable expressions of “fancy” lug design in wristwatch history. The Obus has remained a popular model over the decades. Its periodic re-releases reflect subtle adaptations to contemporary tastes while preserving its core design elements.
The present example, dating to 1925, displays pleasing proportions and a strong graphics. A compelling reflection of the interwar period, it captures a moment when the influences of modernity and conflict subtly permeated design, giving rise to forms that remain strikingly relevant today.