Important Collectors’ Watches, Pocket...

Geneva, Oct 14, 2007

LOT 414

Platinum "Couteau" Cartier, Paris, No. 81810, "Couteau". Made in the 1940s. Extremely fine and equally rare, extra-thin, keyless platinum dress watch.

CHF 2,000 - 3,000

EUR 1,200 - 1,800 / USD 1,700 - 2,500

Sold: CHF 11,210

C. Three-body, solid, brushed, knife edge, curved bezel, oval pendant. D. Matte and engine-turned moire silver with painted radial Arabic numerals, outer minute track. Blued steel "Breguet? hands. M. Cal. 18???, frosted gilt, 18 jewels, straightline lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel flat balance-spring, index regulator. Dial and case signed, case stamped with the Cartier inventory number. Diam. 53 mm. Thickness 4 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-9-01

Good

Scratched

HANDS Original

Notes

Cartier sourced their ?Couteau? watches from several suppliers. These included, as of 1935, Jaeger who had just invented a movement of 7.75 douzièmes, and Vacheron & Constantin, who from 1940 utilized a movement which was seven douzièmes or 1.31 mm thick. This allowed them to produce incredibly thin watches, as is the case with the present watch. This watch, less than 4 mm. thick, is one of the thinnest mechanical watches ever produced. It is also of an unusually large diameter for its type.