Hong Kong, May 28, 2022
LOT 131
Cartier
Art Deco dress-watch, “couteau” (knife-edge); platinum
HKD 41,500 - 83,000
EUR 5,000 - 10,000 / CHF 5,300 - 10,500 / USD 5,300 - 10,600
Sold: HKD 52,500
Platinum, open-face, keyless-winding, “couteau” (knife-edge), round-shaped, extra-thin, Art Deco dress-watch, silver colour dial with radial Roman numerals.
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: AAA |
Excellent |
Case: 2-8 |
Very good Slightly scratched |
Movement: 3* |
Good Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense |
Dial: 3-7-10-01 |
Good Oxidized Patinated HANDS Original |
Brand Cartier, Paris
Model “Montre de poche Couteau”
Year circa 1920
Movement No. unnumbered
Case No. 21 547 / 14 732
Material platinum
Diameter 47.8 mm.
Caliber 16’’’ ½,(by European Watch and Clock Co., Inc), 8 adjustments
Signature dial and movement
Notes
Cartier, “Montre Couteau”
“Couteau” is the term used by Cartier in their manufacturing records to described this type of watches with knife-edge cases, open-face or hunting-case models.
The case of the hunting-case version is of an unusual construction with its two-body (cover and case-back); the movement is housed in an adapter ring whose upper part forms the bezel.
Cartier sourced their “Couteau” watch movements from several suppliers. These included, as of 1935, LeCoultre (future Jaeger-LeCoultre), who had just invented a movement of 7.75 douzièmes (only 2 mm. thick), and, Vacheron & Constantin, who from 1940 utilized a movement which was seven douzièmes (only 1.31 mm. thick). This allowed them to produce incredibly thin watches.
These watches – with less than 4 mm. thick for the open-face version and less 5 mm. version for the hunting-case version – are among the thinnest mechanical watches ever produced.
“Couteau” is the term used by Cartier in their manufacturing records to described this type of watches with knife-edge cases, open-face or hunting-case models.
The case of the hunting-case version is of an unusual construction with its two-body (cover and case-back); the movement is housed in an adapter ring whose upper part forms the bezel.
Cartier sourced their “Couteau” watch movements from several suppliers. These included, as of 1935, LeCoultre (future Jaeger-LeCoultre), who had just invented a movement of 7.75 douzièmes (only 2 mm. thick), and, Vacheron & Constantin, who from 1940 utilized a movement which was seven douzièmes (only 1.31 mm. thick). This allowed them to produce incredibly thin watches.
These watches – with less than 4 mm. thick for the open-face version and less 5 mm. version for the hunting-case version – are among the thinnest mechanical watches ever produced.