The Shapes of Cartier
Cartier, Paris
Pebble | A very rare yellow gold wristwatch with geometric off-set dial | Circa 1948
Auction Closed
May 10, 02:36 PM GMT
Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Dial: cream dial signed Cartier, elongated slim black baton hour indexes, blued steel epée hands
Calibre: 10’’’ circular LeCoultre movement signed E.W. & Co. Inc. for European Watch and Clock Co., Inc., damascened Côtes de Genève decoration, lever escapement, 18 jewels, bi-metallic balance with timing and poising screws, adjusted to temperatures and two positions, Breguet hairspring, U.S. import code EXU for European Watch and Clock Co.
Movement number: 35’026
Case: 18k yellow gold polished case, smooth case front, rectangular bezel, t-bar Vendôme lugs, notched cabochon-set crown, gold back with vertical satin finish and polished rim, hand stamped 35'728, inside case back signed Made in France, European Watch & Clock Co., French eagle’s head assay mark and Edmond Jaeger punch mark
Case number: 35'728
Closure: 18k gold Cartier deployant clasp, numbered 12'467
Size: 26 mm diameter
Box: no
Papers: no
Accessories: none
George Gordon, Cartier - A Century of Cartier Wristwatches, Hong Kong: Timeless Elegance, 1989. See p. 457 Ref. No. 168 for what appears to be a slightly earlier example of this model in a black and white archival image.
Nicknamed the “Pebble” for its smooth, rounded edges, this watch artfully balances contrasting symmetries: an 18ct yellow gold circular case with T-bar Vendôme lugs encloses a square dial, framed by a matching square bezel that secures the crystal.
The interplay between soft curves and defined angles creates a visually striking design, blending elegance with geometric precision. Introduced by Cartier Paris around 1943, this design foreshadows another iconic model introduced in 1972 by Cartier London under Jean-Jacques Cartier’s direction. Produced in Cartier’s Wright & Davies workshop, the 1972 model similarly featured a circular case and a square bezel and dial, but with a distinct twist – the square was rotated 45 degrees, creating a lozenge shape with the hour markers placed at the diamond-shaped peaks of 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. This lozenge configuration has an earlier precedent in Cartier’s 1912 Nain Jaune model, which also featured a square bezel and dial set within a square case, rotated 45 degrees to create an off-set, diamond-like effect. This innovative use of geometry and rotation across the decades underscores Cartier’s enduring commitment to creative, avant-garde watch design.