CARTIER. AN EXTREMELY RARE AND EARLY RECTANGULAR CURVED PLATINUM WRISTWATCH PRESENTED TO THE PRESENT OWNER’S FATHER, JULY 4, 1926

Christie’s is delighted to offer this superb early platinum Tank Cintrée purchased from Cartier in New York City in 1925 by the present owner’s uncle, who gifted it to his brother, the present owner’s father, on the occasion of his 21st birthday on 4th July 1926.

A highly impressive watch with direct provenance from a prominent New York family, it was, according to Cartier, sold in New York in 1925 with movement by the European Watch and Clock Co. Inc., a partnership with Cartier that began in the 1920s. In 1999, Cartier carried out servicing and professional restored the dial for the present owner.

The appreciation and understanding of Cartier’s early wristwatches increases year on year and any significant rarity that appears at auction creates international interest and is fiercely pursued by collectors. Always one of the ultimate symbols of taste and luxury, only very small numbers of wristwatches were made during Cartier’s golden age in the first half of the 20th century, even fewer have survived to the present day. Perfectly epitomizing the glamour and elegance of the Art Deco era, the present watch is a particularly significant example of the Tank Cintrée and a great rarity being cased in platinum, the precious metal that Cartier famously pioneered in their jewellery and watches. Furthermore, it is accompanied by what is almost certainly the original yellow gold deployant clasp with platinum terminal.

The Cartier Tank Cintrée, or ‘curved’ in French, is arguably the most elegant Cartier Tank watch ever made. An icon of good taste, it was launched in 1921, the name derives from its elongated, slightly curved case, designed to provide a perfect fit on the wrist. Confirming its timeless appeal, the Cartier Tank Cintrée is still part of the current collection. Only produced in small quantities over the years, the Tank Cintrée has always been highly sought-after by collectors.