Cartier, Paris
A magnificent gold, silver, silver-gilt, nephrite, mother-of-pearl, coral, enamel and diamond-set 8-day Chinoiserie timepiece | Nos. 02327, 01906, 772 |🃏 Circa 1980
Auction Closed
May 11, 11:29 AM GMT
Estimate
200,000 - 400,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
· 8-day movement with broad damascened backplate, lever escapement, mono-metallic balance, unsigned
· dial of tracery form comprising 12 lobed mother-of-pearl panels, each panel with geometric accents representing the hours, the accents set with diamonds at the cardinal positions and coral inlays at the intervening hours, central gold stylised pierced rose motif, sculptural gold dial edge of flame form with French boar/eagle mixed assay in oval cartouche for silver and gold, SCA stamp for Cartier, Société anonyme set against a blackened disc, ornate pierced hands wit♒h diamond-set tips and coral and diamond-set central boss
· silver and gold dish-shaped case, edged by 12 nephrite panels of sculpted arched form each set with mother-of-pearl Roman numerals secured with pins and heightened by cabochon set turquoises, XII o’clock numeral edged with red to enhance three-dimensionality, each nephrite panel separated by a silver-gilt ribbon of navy blue enamel set with a single diamond, the nephrite edged to the inside by a gilded ring set with rounded coral rods, the whole mounted on a large silver back panel with strut stand, the silver panel with repeated abstract leaf and berry pierced motif, gold central hinged panel decorated with enamel painted rocky chinoiserie landscape, opening to reveal the movement’s back panel with winder, crown for hand-setting, wedge-shaped aperture for accessing index regulator, back panel exterior numbered 01906, interior 772, gold hinged panel with French eagle’s head assay marks, silver strut stand numbered 02327, silver back panel signed Cartier Paris
Dimensions 290 mm diameter
The present lot comes accompanied by a G🐼GTL certificate identifying the coral speciesౠ.
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Dating to circa 1980, although probably incorporating some earlier elements, this magnificent timepiece is a striking example of Cartier’s continued engagement with the Art Deco aesthetic and its fascination with traditional Chinese decorative arts. Heavily influenced by Cartier’s celebrated clocks of the 1920s and 1930s, this piece reinterprets historical motifs using exceptional craftsmanship to shape and incorporate a range of luxurious materials, including gold, nephrite, coral, diamonds, and mother-of-pearl, into an opulent and visꦺually arresting design that harmoniously blends Eastern artistry with Cartier’s signature elegance.
The silver dish-sha🐽ped case is edged with panels of carved nephrite, evoking the form of Chinese Kraak ware porcelain chargers, a style of Ming dynasty export ware distinguished by its lobed, segmented borders. This radiating form is accentuated by applied Chinoiserie-form Roman numerals cut and shaped from mother-of-pearl. Cylinders of coral form a beaded border that recall the coral rods and inlays of Cartier’s Art Deco clocks. The blackened ring enhances the clock’s strong visual depth and greatly enhances the richness of the gold flame-form frame that surrounds the dial. The dial itself adds another layer of contrast with its shimmering mother-of-pearl panels arranged in a tracery form adding an iridescent quality that is further enriched by diamond accents.
This refined detailing draws upon Cartier’s tradition of i𝐆ntegrating natural materials with delicate ornamentation, echoing the elegance of Chinese jade carvings while remaining in harmony with the bold Art Deco geometry that defined Cartier’s designs duri🦹ng the 1920s.
Though completed around 1980, this clock remains firmly rooted in Cartier’s golden age of objets d’art, seamlessly blending the structured precision of Art Deco, the decorative richness of chinoiserie, and the Maison’s mastery of hardstone craftsmanship. A sophisticated fusion of European refinement and Chines🥂e artistic influences, this piece exemplifies Cartier’s enduring ability to reinterpret its own design legacy 🌺with fresh elegance and innovation.