WHY WE CURATED IT: Most notable Cartiers are four-sided. Tanks, Santos, Pantheres, Tonneaus, even Tortues (plus each of their myriad variations) are all either overtly or subtly four-sided. Uncommon early circular pieces were all but forgotten until the 70s when Cartier revived them as Vendômes, named after the new Parisian boutique at Place Vendôme (to complement its historical flagship at 13 Rue de la Paix). Vendômes are some of the most underrated Cartiers and here we have a particularly meaningful one with a “Trinity” dial; the brand’s iconic combination of yellow, rose and white gold tones to signify love, friendship and loyalty. This dial is spectacularly dynamic, going from full black to the triple-spectrum depending on the light. We also love the vertical grooves outboard of the Roman-markered minute track, distorting through the crystal’s edges and reflecting against the rehaut. A dial variation very hard to come by in this size!
CONDITION: 9.5/10 with almost no signs of wear, one of the cleanest we’ve seen. Crystal, hands and cabochon are pristine. Dial has some tiny marks from age, but nothing we’d lose sleep over as the overall presentation is shiny and sumptuous. Caseback is immaculate with crisp, deep engravings and hallmarks. Aftermarket strap is new, with an aftermarket Cartier-style pin buckle. Also included is the original Cartier strap (worn and not advisable to be used) along with the original Cartier deployant buckle. Movement in excellent health, and quartz-accurate.
