Cartier Small Cintree - Unpolished - Very Rare ‘Cartier-Only’ Dial - Early Example

Cartier, the great maker of shapes and jeweler to celebrities, is known for its many variations of the Tank watch. The Tank watch, since its production in 1919, has been front-and-center as one of the most iconic watch designs of all time. It all began with Louis Cartier’s Tank Normale, inspired by the treads of the French Renault FT-17 tank used in World War I. One wouldn’t think that one of the most famous dress watches of the 20th Century would be born from a military-inspired design, and yet this is what makes Louis Cartier the most masterful designer of his era. His ability to transform the bleak realities of World War I into such a heralded object of beauty shows the true genius of Louis Cartier. If only we could turn all of the hard realities of life into beauty as Louis was able to do! The good news is that when you place this watch on your wrist you will be so mesmerized by its beauty that you will surely forget any troubles that may be on your mind.

The Cintree is perhaps the most desired of all of the Tank variations. Its beautifully curved case has drawn the attention of collectors across the world. Over its many years, several different sizes of the Cintree have been produced, which have come to be classified as large, midsize, and small. We believe the small size is perhaps the most true-to-Cartier format of this watch and wears exactly as one would expect a vintage Cartier to wear—charming, charming, charming! 

The present example, dating to 1964, is in outstanding, original, untouched condition—especially considering that it is over 60 years old. It is presented on a glorious vintage hand-stitched pigskin strap. The beautifully curved 18K yellow gold case is sharp, featuring deep crisp French hallmarks and its original large-size octagonal sapphire cabochon crown. The dial is arguably the most sought after variant of any classic Cartier watch - a cream-colored ‘Cartier-Only’ dial, meaning that there is no other signature except for Cartier printed on the dial. The dial has a very minor amount of wear present in the upper left corner. This is normal and very typical for Cartier watches from this era, and in fact, this is a positive thing as it evidences the untouched original nature of this watch. While macro watch photography tends to amplify flaws because of its magnified view, we assure you that this tiny amount of wear is hardly noticeable when viewed in person. Moreover, we are confident that once you place this watch on your wrist you will not find this to be concerning at all, but rather you and everyone else will be blown away by the charm of this true vintage Cartier timepiece. True collectors do not shy away from untouched originality—they embrace it with open arms. 

This watch is made all the more special as this 1964 Cintree is extremely early for this particular model of small Cintree. In speaking with several esteemed collectors of Cartier, we were not able to find an earlier model though we did find one other example only ten serial numbers later that currently resides in a private collection. While the small Cintree has been made for many decades, the models varied greatly over time and in this era this remarkably well preserved model provides the savvy collector with a special opportunity. As the Cartier craze continues (as it should!), these watches are getting snapped up and placed into collections where they will lie dormant for decades. Fewer and fewer great examples will come to market. Do not miss out on this rare and special watch.

Model: Small Tank Cintree

Movement: Manual JLC caliber K840

Year: 1964

Contents: Box

Case Dimensions: 34mm x 19mm

Crown: Large-sized octagonal sapphire cabochon crown.

Dial: The highly sought after cream-colored ‘Cartier-Only’ dial presents in fantastic condition for its 60-year-old age. Early Cartier large typography. The dial presents only the tiniest of flaws and positively indicates the original, untouched nature of this watch. We particularly love the rich warmth and charm of these cream-colored dials.

Strap & Buckle: Comes on a glorious vintage hand-stitched Pigskin strap with correct Cartier signed 18K yellow gold deployant.