Manufacturer: Cartier Year: Circa 1970 Case No: 781'010'635 Model Name: Square Incurvée "Fabergé" Material: 18K yellow gold Calibre: Manual, cal. ETA 2512,17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Alligator Clasp/Buckle: 18K yellow gold Cartier deployant clasp Dimensions: 26mm Width and 33mm Length Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed
Catalogue Essay
Exuding charm, the present "Gondolo", or "Ellipse" represents what Cartier is best at: combining watchmaking with iconic design. In the second half of the 20th century, Cartier created some of the most impressive, creative and iconic designs of its multi-century history, imaging a multitude of case shapes as a canvas for their horological creations.
Cased in yellow gold, the present model is called the Square Incurvée due to the likeness of the case to a curved square. It joins the echelons of other fantastically designed watches such as the Crash, Baignoire and Pebble, to name a few. The curved yellow gold case shaped perfectly contrasts against the eggshell white dial. Furthermore, the "Paris" notation on the dial makes it very collectible.
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.