Important Collector's Watches, Pocket...

Geneva, Nov 11, 2007

LOT 72

"Montre Mysterieuse" Cartier, Paris, movement No. 81003S, case No. 699003. Made in a limited series, circa 1980. Very fine and very rare, elegant, 18K white gold, keyless, mystery dress watch, accompanied by the original matching heavy 18K white gold Cartier long chain.

CHF 20,000 - 30,000

EUR 12,000 - 18,000 / USD 17,000 - 25,000

Sold: CHF 47,200

C. Two-piece, ?couteau?, polished with eccentric aperture for the mystery hands with brushed chapter ring with champlevé Roman numerals, inner minute track, triangular swivel bow. D. Transparent sapphire crystals. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. Square with canted corners, 34 x 34 mm, rhodium-plated, fausses-côtes decoration, 17 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance with self-compensating flat balance spring, Incablock shock absorber on both balance pivots, aperture below the train for sapphire discs holding the hands. Case and movement signed. Diam. 50 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

The idea for this type of mystery mechanism originated with Armand Schwob & Frère à Paris, and was patented on 24 January 1889. Cartier improved upon the idea, employing a large, high quality movement with an excentric opening. Cartier made very few of these watches.