85
Cartier
Andine
A rare and attractive yellow gold, ruby and diamond-set octagonal bracelet watch with mother-of-pearl dial
Full-Cataloguing
- Time only
- Lavishly set with baguette rubies on the bezel, a mother-of-pearl dial with rubies and a diamond-set bracelet
- Pieces like this were probably made upon special order or in extremely limited examples
Part of Cartier’s highly luxurious, jewelry-focused watch line, the Andine embraces playful asymmetry and geometric forms, complemented by exceptional gem-setting, as demonstrated by this example dating to the late 1980s or early 1990s. Little is known about this line of pieces, however examples have sporadically come on the market, with each example being precious and set with diamonds, and other gemstones. Possibly a special order, the present watch features baguette rubies on the bezel, as well as an attractive mother-of-pearl dial with rubies set inside. The bracelet is furthermore set with diamonds throughout, giving the watch an extremely glamorous appearance. Watches like this were probably made as one off pieces, or in extremely limited quantities given the lavish nature of the timepiece.
Cartier
FrenchWith the Constitution of 1848 came a new standard for luxury in France. Founded one year prior by Louis-Francois Cartier, the house of Cartier was one of the first to use platinum in jewelry making. This incredibly expensive material became the stepping-stone for Cartier to experiment in form, mechanisms and attitude. It helped men move from pocket watches to wristwatches, effectively making the watch much more functional and prominent in a man's overall wardrobe.
Cartier did not only touch on functionality. Inspired by a commissioned painting by George Barbier featuring a black panther at the feet of an elegantly bejeweled woman, Cartier began incorporating wild animals in his designs—most notably, Cartier Panthère rings, bangle bracelets and watches. Yet it wasn't until the late 1960s that the house of Cartier debuted their iconic yellow and rose gold LOVE collection, which includes the famous bracelet that only a special screwdriver can open.