221 Cartier Highly Attractive and Limited to 100 Pieces, Cloche, Wristwatch in Platinum, Roman Numbers Dial, Ruby Cabochon, With Box and Paper, Reference WGCC0004

Estimate: €30,000 –⁠ 60,000

Model: Cloche
Reference: WGCC0004
Case Material: Platinum
Bracelet Material: Leather Strap
Year: 2021
Movement: Manual
Caliber: 1917 MC
Case N°: N°057/100, 4338
Dimensions: 37 × 29 mm
Signed: Dial, Case and Movement
Accessories: Box and Papers

For the last 100 years, Cartier has been playing with case shapes, and in 2021 reintroduced the lovingly peculiar bell-shaped Cartier Privé Collection Cloche de Cartier in platinum, reference WGCC0004. In 1996, in occasion of the auction “The Magical Art of Cartier”, the brand commissioned platinum “Cloche” timepieces made exclusively for this event but with different dials to make each of them unique. The 2021 collection is still limited but differently from the others were at least produced for 100 lucky clients. The present lot is number 57 as testified by the engraving on the back. For Cartier, the first time the cloche (which is French for bell) case shape appeared was in the 1920s. This shape was initially chosen for its aesthetic and was mainly a piece of jewelry except then becomes a year or two later, before sporadically appearing and disappearing in the line-up. The approach of the dial is slightly different from the vast majority. Most other watches with their dial orientation askew are designed for a particular task, largely to help folks dealing with high-speed machines to easily read the time without having to take off the hand from the wheel. The logic path is different for Cartier. In the case of the Cloche, this is done so that you can set the watch down on its flat side, and read it as though it were a rather small table clock. This WGCC0004, with its large platinum case exceptionally preserved has beaded crown set with a ruby cabochon, silvered dial, sword-shaped hands, sapphire crystal and its original box and warranty.