Manufacturer: Cartier Year: Circa 1997 Reference No: 0960 1 Case No: M203530 Model Name: Pasha Chrono Material: 18K yellow gold Calibre: Quartz Bracelet/Strap: Crocodile Clasp/Buckle: 18K yellow gold Cartier deployant clasp Dimensions: 38mm diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed
Catalogue Essay
With its history dating back to 1932, the Pasha was introduced by Cartier and it is considered the firm’s first waterproof wristwatch especially named and requested by the Sultan of Marrakech named Pasha.
Fast forward to the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, the Pasha was one of the most successful and popular models in the lineup. With its contemporary collection officially released in 1985, the Pasha was diversified and contemporized featuring various materials and complications.
The present example from circa 1997 encased in 18K yellow gold features a chronograph function with date and is powered by a quartz caliber. Furthermore, inscribed with "I Heart C" on the dial, the present example belongs to an employee's only edition launched for the 150th anniversary of Cartier, making the present example rare and unusual.
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.
