Live Auction 12578Important Watches Including NAUTILUS 40 Part III
CARTIER. AN IMPORTANT, VERY RARE AND POSSIBLY UNIQUE 18K GOLD, DIAMOND, MOTHER-OF-PEARL, QUARTZ AND OBSIDIAN-SET MYSTERY CLOCK
Lot 2811 THE PROPERTY OF A PRIVATE EUROPEAN COLLECTOR

CARTIER. AN IMPORTANT, VERY RARE AND POSSIBLY UNIQUE 18K GOLD, DIAMOND, MOTHER-OF-PEARL, QUARTZ AND OBSIDIAN-SET MYSTERY CLOCK

SIGNED CARTIER, PARIS, “FLOWER MYSTERY CLOCK”, CASE NO. 179’958, CIRCA 1990

Closed28 November 2016

Price Realised

HKD 875,000

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CARTIER. AN IMPORTANT, VERY RARE AND POSSIBLY UNIQUE 18K GOLD, DIAMOND, MOTHER-OF-PEARL, QUARTZ AND OBSIDIAN-SET MYSTERY CLOCK
SIGNED CARTIER, PARIS, “FLOWER MYSTERY CLOCK”, CASE NO. 179’958, CIRCA 1990
MOVEMENT: Manual
DIAL/CASE: Faceted quartz, diamond-set pierced hands, within a mother-of-pearl floral-shaped bezel with applied gold Roman numerals to the front and applied diamond-set dot numerals on the reverse, single obsidian column enhanced by a diamond-set line with mother-of-pearl key fret supports, to the stepped gold and obsidian base, 270 mm. high
SIGNED: Case signed and numbered
ACCOMPANIED BY: Cartier fitted presentation box and key.

Specialist note

In the 1920s, Cartier Paris produced some spectacular examples of mystery clocks with a central axle where the rock crystal wheels are powered by a caliber through a vertical axle hidden in the clock mounts.

The present clock represents a discreetly elegant example in mother-of-pearl and black obsidian of this style. With its undulating ruyi-shaped bezel surrounding the magnificent faceted citrine, the clock is evocative of the timeless elegance of Eastern cultures.