Following Cartier’s watch shapes over the years is its own way of marking time. Sotheby’s will unveil what it describes as “the largest and most comprehensive collection of vintage Cartier watches in auction history” across three sales (and continents) this spring.
The stunning group of more than 300 Cartier timepieces, expected to achieve more than $15 million total, will be featured in Important Watches auction in Hong Kong on April 24, Geneva on May 10, and New York on June 15.
Sotheby’s said it put together the watch lots after more than 25 years of sourcing historic pieces from the Cartier collection. They include some of the rarest and the most recognizable models, such as the Baignoire, Octagonal, Driver, and specialized vintage Tank variations. The star lot of the Hong Kong auction is an 18k yellow gold Crash (pictured above) from 1987—it’s believed only three Crash watches were produced that year.
The auction seems impeccably timed when it comes to Cartier’s value on both the primary and secondary watch markets. Cartier watches have increased in value faster than Rolexes over the past eight years, according to a recent study from Chrono24. Even accounting for a market correction to the pandemic boom, multiple Cartier models experienced gains. The surprise winning model that led Chrono24’s ranking? The Cartier Tank Vermeil, which increased 299% in value since 2018. Another Cartier model, Panthère in yellow gold, rose +218%, while the two-tone Panthère was up 208%.
The Cartier models mentioned in the study have comparatively modest price points, and Chrono24 said its findings illustrate a trend: Buyers are choosing Cartier’s more affordable designs over iconic and expensive models from Rolex and Patek Phillipe. A Chrono24 report from last fall showed that Cartier has become a Gen Z favorite. So Cartier’s position in the watch collecting world is definitely on the rise as Sotheby’s puts its trove on the block.
Whether you’re investing in an attainable, timeless style or admiring a rare collector’s item, Cartier has classics on both ends of the spectrum. Feast your eyes on some of the iconic pieces heading to auction in a few weeks.
Top: Cartier London Crash with its signature Dali-esque distorted oval face, estimate $400,000–$800,000 (photos courtesy of Sotheby’s)