Manufacturer: Cartier Year: Circa 1980 Case No: 200'522 Material: Gilt brass, nephrite and mother-of-pearl Calibre: Quartz Dimensions: 140mm Length and 230mm Height Signed: Case and movement signed Accessories: Accompanied by Cartier presentation box.
Catalogue Essay
Even though not a watchmaker, Cartier’s horological creations have always been avant garde, audacious with a dash of Parisian flamboyance.
The present desk clock from the early 1980s is directly inspired by the brand’s lavish desk top clocks from the 1920s imbued with the era’s panache and glamour.
Made in France and sold at Cartier Paris, this attractive desk clock displays nephrite (a semi precious stone from the jade family) decorated panels and a beautiful mother-of-pearl dial.
The 1980s saw a rebirth of Cartier and during this period, Cartier released this desk clock, in limited numbers, with different hard stone panels, ranging from nephrite to jasper, all with a mother of pearl dial and cabochon form above a rectangular base.
The present desk clock is accompanied by its original traveling Cartier case.
With 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.