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Lot Essay
This unique and sumptuous Cartier creation was made and designed especially for the present owner from his existing Audemars Piguet minute repeater, perpetual calendar and moon phases watch dating from the 1920s.
Working from a drawing, over the course of almost a year between November 1977 and September 1978, Cartier constructed an entirely custom-made case and customized the dial with spectacular results.
The heavy yellow gold case is inset with individually shaped curved panels of malachite forming a ring around front and back. Ingeniously, a gold hinged folding easel stand fitted seamlessly into the back can be opened and the watch then used as a table or desk clock. The crown is set with a cabochon emerald, uner a “U” shaped hinged bow, the back is engraved with the owner’s initials and signed Cartier.
The classic and beautiful Audemars Piguet dial remains and has been exquisitely updated to harmonize with the case by the fitting of circular gold indexes set with discs of malachite.
The overall effect is a triumph, illustrating Cartier’s innate and faultless taste, superb workmanship and the timeless quality of great design.
A true “one-off”, the present watch combines the mechanical ingenuity of an Audemars Piguet high complication movement with Cartier’s unparalleled styling. It offers the rare opportunity for the collector to possess a fully documented Cartier special order piece which, being cherished by their owners, are hardly ever found on the open market.
Working from a drawing, over the course of almost a year between November 1977 and September 1978, Cartier constructed an entirely custom-made case and customized the dial with spectacular results.
The heavy yellow gold case is inset with individually shaped curved panels of malachite forming a ring around front and back. Ingeniously, a gold hinged folding easel stand fitted seamlessly into the back can be opened and the watch then used as a table or desk clock. The crown is set with a cabochon emerald, uner a “U” shaped hinged bow, the back is engraved with the owner’s initials and signed Cartier.
The classic and beautiful Audemars Piguet dial remains and has been exquisitely updated to harmonize with the case by the fitting of circular gold indexes set with discs of malachite.
The overall effect is a triumph, illustrating Cartier’s innate and faultless taste, superb workmanship and the timeless quality of great design.
A true “one-off”, the present watch combines the mechanical ingenuity of an Audemars Piguet high complication movement with Cartier’s unparalleled styling. It offers the rare opportunity for the collector to possess a fully documented Cartier special order piece which, being cherished by their owners, are hardly ever found on the open market.