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Lot Essay
Please note the strap is shown for display purposes only and is not for sale. Upon sale, the watch will be supplied to the buyer on a leather strap.
Created on special request or 'New Special Order' (NSO), the present Crash's configuration with a pink gold case and silvered dial was chosen by the original owner in 2010. Interestingly, the watch features the same case proportions as the 1991 'Paris' Crash that was limited to only 400 examples. This superb timepiece retains its original box and papers and represents an exceedingly rare opportunity to acquire a Crash model in pink gold.
For such an extraordinary creation as Cartier’s Crash watch, it is quite surprising that the story of its origins were, until recently, shrouded in mystery. The absence of any official information led to some wonderfully romantic myths surrounding the source of Jean-Jacques Cartier’s inspiration for the Crash’s design. Some claimed the idea was ignited by Salvador Dali’s painting ‘La Persistance de la Mémoire de Dali’, others believed that its form came from a melted Cartier Maxi Baignoire Allongée. It was also rumoured that one of Cartier's founders was in a car crash in the late 1960s and the resulting mis-shapen watch served as the influence for the watch. However, the true full story is now confirmed by Francesca Cartier Brickell, Jean-Jacques Cartier’s granddaughter, whose recent book ‘The Cartiers: The Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewellery Empire’ was published in 2019.
1960s London was an exciting place to be and Jean-Jacques Cartier, who had instigated the making of Cartier watches in London, wanted to create a wristwatch that was truly a response to the spirit of the age. In fact, the Crash watch was the idea of Jean-Jacques Cartier and designer Rupert Emmerson, who together, after many attempts, eventually came up with a final design. The appearance of the resulting watch, named the ‘Crash’ was in complete contrast to the straight lines of the traditional Tank and oval.
Created on special request or 'New Special Order' (NSO), the present Crash's configuration with a pink gold case and silvered dial was chosen by the original owner in 2010. Interestingly, the watch features the same case proportions as the 1991 'Paris' Crash that was limited to only 400 examples. This superb timepiece retains its original box and papers and represents an exceedingly rare opportunity to acquire a Crash model in pink gold.
For such an extraordinary creation as Cartier’s Crash watch, it is quite surprising that the story of its origins were, until recently, shrouded in mystery. The absence of any official information led to some wonderfully romantic myths surrounding the source of Jean-Jacques Cartier’s inspiration for the Crash’s design. Some claimed the idea was ignited by Salvador Dali’s painting ‘La Persistance de la Mémoire de Dali’, others believed that its form came from a melted Cartier Maxi Baignoire Allongée. It was also rumoured that one of Cartier's founders was in a car crash in the late 1960s and the resulting mis-shapen watch served as the influence for the watch. However, the true full story is now confirmed by Francesca Cartier Brickell, Jean-Jacques Cartier’s granddaughter, whose recent book ‘The Cartiers: The Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewellery Empire’ was published in 2019.
1960s London was an exciting place to be and Jean-Jacques Cartier, who had instigated the making of Cartier watches in London, wanted to create a wristwatch that was truly a response to the spirit of the age. In fact, the Crash watch was the idea of Jean-Jacques Cartier and designer Rupert Emmerson, who together, after many attempts, eventually came up with a final design. The appearance of the resulting watch, named the ‘Crash’ was in complete contrast to the straight lines of the traditional Tank and oval.