Cartier has created some of the most iconic watches of all time, with names as evocative as the designs: the Tank, inspired by the Renault tanks of WWI; the balloon-shaped Ballon; and the ovoid Baignoire, meaning ‘bathtub’ in French. It gives the maison’s timepieces a certain je ne sais quoi in the all-too dry world of horology.
And then there’s the curious case of the Cartier Crash. If it’s your first time setting eyes on this surreal creation, you may be forgiven for assuming that the melting clocks of Salvador Dali’s iconic work the ‘Persistence of Memory’ was its inspiration, but you would be mistaken.
Another rumour surrounding the origins of the Crash is that it stems from a car accident involving a senior Cartier executive. The story goes that when the motor caught fire, it caused the individual’s watch to melt into a quite irregular shape. Having taken it into Cartier London for repair work to be carried out, it’s said that the team were so taken with the unusual aesthetic that it served as the model’s inspiration. Sadly, it’s another tall tale.
In her book, The Cartiers: The Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewelry Empire, Francesca Cartier Brickell reveals that her grandfather Jean-Jacques Cartier created the watch alongside designer Rupert Emmerson to look as if it had indeed been in a crash – but no executives were harmed in the making of this imperfect wonder. The pair modified the Maxi Baignoire Allongée, distorting its oval shape into something quite unlike any other Cartier ever.
Jean-Jacques Cartier created the watch alongside designer Rupert Emmerson to look as if it had indeed been in a crash
Yarek Baranik / Phillips Watches
Yarek Baranik / Phillips Watches
Launched in 1967 by Cartier London, the Crash became an instant icon and its limited releases continue to boast lengthy waiting lists to this day. But it’s the early models of the 1960s that garner the most attention at auction, thanks to the fact that precious few Crash watches were produced during this time period as a result of the complex process of hand shaping the case.
Which brings us to the present example going under the hammer at the Phillips New York Watch Auction on 10 December. The watch is one of a very limited number of examples produced by Cartier London in early 1967. It features London hallmarks on the dial and caseback interior, as well as an original Cartier deployant buckle with similar London hallmarks. It’s further stamped ‘JC’ for Jean-Jacques Cartier.
Best of all? The “Swiss Movement” engraved to the case back – a possibly unique feature not seen on other models.
Estimate: $400k-$800k. See phillips.com
