Lot 341

Cartier, Paris, "Tonneau Cintrée à Pattes Cabochon", Case No. 6938, 26 x 46 mm, circa 1910

An elegant, tonneau-shaped platinum vintage wristwatch with sapphire-set bezel and sapphire cabochon-set ogival lugs and crown
Case: platinum and sapphires, platinum back, screws on the band, two-tone 18k gold deployant clasp. Dial: silver, flinqué. Movm.: bridge movement, signed Cartier Paris, screw compensation balance.
The first Cartier "Tonneau Cintrée" shaped wristwatch with cabochon-set lugs was made in 1908. Cartier first introduced the "Tonneau" wristwatch in 1906; the word tonneau or "barrel" alludes to the unusual shape of the watch. The elegantly curved elongate design looks good on any wrist, be it a distinguished male or an elegant female.
This watch is illustrated and described in Osvaldo Patrizzi, "White Cartier", Antiquorum Editions 2006, No. 15.