Cartier Baignoire

Overall Condition: Great condition overall. Case and bracelet show only light wear. Case and bracelet have been professionally polished. Dial and handset are in great condition with no blemishes noted.

No, it’s not a Tank. And yes, it deserves your attention!

While Parisian jeweler to the stars Cartier may be best known in horological circles for its famed Tank watches, the French firm produced — and continues to produce — numerous other models that deserve equal billing for their unique and sumptuous designs.

The Baignoire — or ‘bathtub,’ for us troglodytes — is a collection that dates all the way back to 1906. Elegantly rounded with a thick, wide bezel, The Baignoire still exists in the current Cartier line-up as a series of svelte ladies’ watches whose proportions and executions simply ooze elegance.

This particular example dates back to the 2000s and features a 18mm white gold case with a smooth bezel, a back-setting crown, a sapphire crystal, and a white dial with printed black Roman indices and a matching 'sword' handset. Fitted to a stunning, stylized white gold bracelet with a hidden, double fold-over deployant clasp, it’s powered by a reliable quartz movement.

Several watches from different manufacturers have taken on the smooth, serpentine aspect of the Baignoire over the years — but there’s something about the original that betrays a thorough understanding of how to execute elegance perfectly.