Live Auction 12578Important Watches Including NAUTILUS 40 Part III
CARTIER. A MAGNIFICENT AND POSSIBLY UNIQUE 18K GOLD, DIAMOND, YELLOW DIAMOND, BLACK MOTHER-OF-PEARL, ROCK CRYSTAL, CHRYSOPRASE AND OBSIDIAN MYSTERY CLOCK
Lot 2810 THE PROPERTY OF A PRIVATE EUROPEAN COLLECTOR

CARTIER. A MAGNIFICENT AND POSSIBLY UNIQUE 18K GOLD, DIAMOND, YELLOW DIAMOND, BLACK MOTHER-OF-PEARL, ROCK CRYSTAL, CHRYSOPRASE AND OBSIDIAN MYSTERY CLOCK

SIGNED CARTIER, “THE SOLIMAN MYSTERY CLOCK”, CASE NO. 633’165, CIRCA 1990

Closed28 November 2016

Price Realised

HKD 1,620,000

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CARTIER. A MAGNIFICENT AND POSSIBLY UNIQUE 18K GOLD, DIAMOND, YELLOW DIAMOND, BLACK MOTHER-OF-PEARL, ROCK CRYSTAL, CHRYSOPRASE AND OBSIDIAN MYSTERY CLOCK

SIGNED CARTIER, “THE SOLIMAN MYSTERY CLOCK”, CASE NO. 633’165, CIRCA 1990
MOVEMENT: Manual
DIAL/CASE: Faceted rock crystal, yellow diamond and baguette-cut emerald-set hands, diamond-set bezel, octagonal black mother-of-pearl chapter ring with applied yellow diamond-set Roman and triangular-cut chrysoprase numerals to the front with diamond-set dots to the reverse, held between two fluted rectangular rock crystal columns with gold, diamond and black mother-of-pearl-set terminals each topped with a carved chrysoprase scarab, each column on a stepped diamond-set gold, obsidian and chrysoprase base enhanced by black mother-of-pearl, on a similar pedestal, the front set with two confronting pavé-set yellow diamond panthers and a carved chrysoprase scarab to the centre, the movement wound and hands set through the base, 230 mm. high
SIGNED: Case signed and numbered
ACCOMPANIED BY: Cartier fitted presentation box and wooden travelling case.

Specialist note

The present mystery clock is a perfect variation on the theme of the Portique (Portico) design created in the 1920s whereby the clock is suspended between two pillars. In this case, the foliate design of the pillars, the “confronted animals” with two fauves facing each other in a symmetrical pose and the scarabs are all evocative of the splendours of the ancient civilization of Egypt, a source that great influenced Cartier in their designs in clocks and jewellery.

The present mystery clock is set with 598 diamonds weighing approximately 26.93 carats and 545 yellow diamonds weighing approximately 6.78 carats.