70 Cartier An important and exceptional, Parallelogramme, manual wristwatch in yellow gold, with black Roman numerals dial, made in London.
Estimate: € 100.000 – 200.000
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- Model Parallelogramme London
- Year Circa 1990
- Case Material 18K yellow gold
- Case Number 74'848
- Bracelet Material Leather strap
- Movement Manual, cal. 845, 17 jewels
- Movement Number 2'079'846
- Dimension 24mm width x 20mm length
- Signed Case, dial and movement
- Literature A similar watch is published in Jader Barracca, Gampiero Negretti and Franco Nencini's book "Le Temps de Cartier" at page 269.
Among the most audacious creations ever produced by Cartier is the Parallélogramme, also known as the Asymétrique. Originally designed by Louis Cartier in 1936, the model reinterprets the classic rectangular Tank case on an oblique axis, rotating the entire case and dial to create a distinctive diamond-shaped silhouette. This unusual configuration served a very real functional purpose, inherited from the earliest so-called “driver’s watches”, which were designed to allow the time to be read instantly when the wrist rested naturally on a steering wheel, without requiring the wearer to rotate the arm. This concept, as ingenious as it was graphically radical, ranks among the last major creations of Cartier’s Art Deco period. The Parallélogramme enjoyed a second life between 1967 and 1974, during which period Cartier London, then under the direction of Jean-Jacques Cartier, distinguished itself through a series of highly individual interpretations, including the Baignoire Allongée, Pebble and Crash. The Parallélogramme was likewise revisited, this time with softer, more fluid lines than the angular design of its 1930s predecessor. The present example, crafted in 18K yellow gold, is a fine illustration of the creativity of the London branch. Its characteristic oblique case houses a white dial, its hand-painted black Roman numerals following the emblematic asymmetrical layout of the model. The cursive “Cartier” signature, together with simple blued-steel hands, completes a composition of distinctly modern elegance. The fluted crown and mechanical movement further attest to the meticulous craftsmanship of the London workshops, where each timepiece was produced by hand and was therefore subtly different from the next. The 18K yellow-gold deployant clasp bears the engraved “JC” mark, together with the British hallmarks attesting to the fineness of the gold.Recognised as one of the most sought-after models in Cartier’s vintage production, the Parallélogramme has experienced a significant rise in collector interest in recent years, driven by growing appreciation for the rarest creations of the Maison’s London branch pieces from an era when creativity and individuality took precedence over purely commercial considerations.
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GENEVA
Eternity Gallery Geneva, 19 Place de Longemalle
HONG KONG
Opera Gallery Hong Kong, 1 Duddell Street, Unit 01, 11/F, Central
MILANO
Portrait Milano Hotel, Corso Venezia, 11
BOLOGNA
Time on Show Bologna, Viale della Fiera, 20