The 1960s and 1970s were a time of incredible creative turmoil. Spurred by the changes in society - which was veering toward more carefree social rules - designers in every field came up with some of the most intriguing designs to ever appear in any field: from watches, to jewellery, passing through the cars, buildings and of course garment fashion, a true design revolution took place during those years. It was during that time that Cartier London was producing some of its most creative and unusual pieces, merging form with function. La maison had imagined a number of fantastical and show-stopping pieces during this time, from the Crash, to the Baignoire and the Pebble, among many others. The present Octagonal Elongated wristwatch perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Cartier's designs during this era. No longer a round, tonneau shape, the case was in a long octagonal form, which also hugged the wrist.
This timepiece was most notably sold by Cartier London, evidenced by the London hallmarks that date the watch to 1970. Furthermore, all Cartier hand-stamped numbers are visible and crisp. The maker's mark "JC" is visible on the case and clasp, which is the maker's mark for Cartier and represents Jacques Cartier. This maker's mark was seen on pieces made by Cartier London.
The present watch was originally purchased by the original owner who had purchased the present watch when he was working at Liberty's in London. In 1971, he was reading a magazine and was immediately enthralled by an advertisement showing the present watch. The gentleman decided to go to Cartier on Bond Street, where he subsequently tried on the timepiece and purchased it. At the time, the watch cost approximately 2000 pounds which was equivalent to a full year's salary! The gentleman had enjoyed the timepiece for over 50 years before parting with it.