Cartier Vendôme Vermeil Ref. 590003 ‘Lemon Roman’ (Circa 1990s)

WHY WE CURATED IT:
The Vendôme is one of Cartier’s quieter designs. When you think of the Maison, the mind naturally goes to its more recognisable shapes: the Tank, Santos, Tortue and Tonneau. The Vendôme takes a different approach, using a simple round case that feels almost deliberately understated.

Cartier brought the design back in the 1970s, naming it after the Maison’s boutique on Place Vendôme in Paris. Compared with the fuller, more sculpted Colisée, the Vendôme is remarkably restrained. Its slim case and narrow bezel create a clean, almost architectural frame, leaving the dial to carry much of the watch’s personality.

On this particular example, that personality comes almost entirely from the lemon beige dial. The vibrant tone recalls the beige lacquered dials used on Cartier’s modern rose gold Santos Dumont, although here it feels softer and more relaxed. Against it, the crisp Roman numerals, blue épée hands and signature blue cabochon provide just enough contrast to make the colour work.

It is also one of those coloured dials that photographs rather poorly compared with how it looks in person. There is a freshness to it that is difficult to capture in a static image. It reminds me slightly of an ice cold glass of lemonade on a scorching day. Refreshing, but I digress.

What I find most interesting about the Vendôme is how little it needs to announce itself as a Cartier. There is no Tank silhouette or elaborate case shape doing the work for it. Instead, its identity is built from much smaller details: the typography, the proportions, the arrangement of the dial, the blue hands and, of course, that unmistakable cabochon.

That makes the Vendôme an interesting reminder that Cartier’s design language has never depended entirely on its most famous case shapes. Remove the Tank, Santos or Tortue silhouette and the visual vocabulary is still there. In the Vendôme, it simply becomes quieter.

It will probably never have the immediate recognition of a Tank or Santos, but that is almost beside the point. The appeal is in discovering Cartier through colour, proportion and detail rather than through an instantly recognisable outline. Sometimes the unassuming watches are precisely the ones that reward a second look.

CONDITION:
8.5/10. The case is in excellent overall condition, with only minor signs of wear consistent with age and normal use. Mild oxidation is present on the bezel and caseback, which is not unusual for a vintage vermeil case of this age.

The lemon beige dial remains clean and attractive, with very mild spotting that is barely noticeable unless viewed up close. The Roman numeral typography remains crisp and well-defined, complemented by the clean, vibrant blue Épée hands.

The quartz movement is clean internally and is currently running properly.

This is offered as a watch only, fitted with an aftermarket calf leather strap and aftermarket Cartier-style tang buckle.

DIMENSIONS:
30mm diameter excl. cabochon crown
4.7mm thickness
36.8mm lug-to-lug
16mm lug width with custom T-bar cutouts
Wrist in photos is 16cm

CRYSTAL:
Mineral glass

CASE:
925 sterling silver, 18-carat gold-plated, 20 micron (vermeil)

WATER RESISTANCE:
Assumed none, per vintage watches

STRAP:
Aftermarket calf leather strap with aftermarket Cartier-style tang buckle

CALIBRE:
Cartier Cal. 90, Quartz

COMES WITH:
Watch only

TERMS OF SALE:
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