36 Cartier An extremely rare, precious and higly collectible, Baignoire Allongée, oval-shaped manual wristwatch in yellow gold, retailed by Cartier London.

Estimate: € 100.000 –⁠ 200.000

• Model Baignoire Allongée
• Year Circa 1976
• Case Material 18K yellow gold
• Case Number 1892
• Bracelet Material Leather strap
• Movement Manual, jewelled
• Dimension 23mm width x 52mm length
• Signed Case, dial and movement

London-made Cartier watches were never mass-produced; they were conceived for a discerning clientele attuned to nuance and individuality. Consequently, surviving examples are exceedingly rare, and the Baignoire Allongée, produced in particularly limited numbers, stands among the most elusive and coveted creations of the London atelier.
The Baignoire Allongée is a manifesto in gold: its elongated, fluid case arcs across the wrist like a deliberate brushstroke, sensual yet architectural. The dramatically stretched white dial, animated by exploded black Roman numerals, transforms time into theatre. This is not merely an elongated Baignoire, but a radical reimagining of proportion, a piece of functional sculpture that happens to tell the hour. Adding another remarkable layer of desirability, the present example retains its original deployant clasp. While the model itself is already extraordinarily scarce, examples preserved with their original Cartier deployant are rarer still, making the present watch an especially compelling survivor. London-signed Cartier wristwatches possess a magnetism seasoned collectors instantly recognise: a tension between rebellion and aristocracy, experimentation and heritage. Exceptionally rare, it embodies what Cartier has always done best: merging form and function into something timeless, emotional, and irresistibly elegant.