Cartier Crash 'Bond Street London'

Overall Condition: Outstanding condition overall. Case shows only faint signs of wear associated with gentle use and handling. Dial and handset are in excellent condition. Factory strap and deployant are in equally, excellent condition.

If Cartier is regarded as the master of watch design, the Crash is Cartier’s masterwork. One of the most collectible watches on the planet, it exudes an aura of mystery and legend unlike any other.

Since the introduction of the Crash in 1967, the elusive watch has enjoyed a special place in Cartier’s catalog as an object both extremely rare and highly coveted. Until just a few years ago, its true story was unknown. Dozens of legends emerged explaining the origins of this almost mythical design: Some claimed that it was inspired by the paintings of Salvador Dali, a brilliant Spanish surrealist artist known for his eclectic paintings of melting timepieces with distorted, asymmetrical case shapes. Others suggested that the Crash was actually influenced by a destroyed Cartier Maxi Oval, tragically devastated by a fatal car fire.

Unfortunately for the more imaginative among us, the truth is quite a bit less exciting.

The granddaughter of Jean-Jacques Cartier, Francesca Cartier Breckell, revealed that Jean-Jacques and famous designer Rupert Emerson wanted to modernize a Cartier design to suit the emerging psychedelic era of fashion and culture. The result was the Cartier Crash, a modified Maxi Oval. With its asymmetrical, whimsical case design, flowing lines, and elegant incongruity, it has since become a cultural fascination.

The mystery of the Crash certainly added a zero or two to the price tag, but at the end of the day, with soaring demand, Cartier had only made a few hundred total pieces — indeed, the Crash was always designed to be a rare gem for the distinguished few. A number of celebrities have owned one, including Jay-Z, Kanye West, Timothée Chalamet, and Elton John.

This particular reference, a WGCH0050-4549, is especially desirable. In 2019, to celebrate the re-opening of the New Bond Street Cartier boutique, Cartier presented limited edition Cartier Crashes. A year later, the platinum limited production example we have here followed. The general belief is that Cartier is delivering only one Crash per month, making these an extreme rarity.

This piece features a 38mm x 25.5mm platinum case with a custom-cut sapphire crystal made specifically for the intentionally misshapen case of the Crash. Fitted with Cartier's defining red cabochon crown signifying the platinum material, this piece houses a silvery dial with stylized Roman numerals and a blued-steel 'sword' handset. A signed, gray leather strap with tone-on-tone stitching and matching deployant clasp, which itself is malformed to play on the crash motif, complement the case tones beautifully.

Powered by the manually-wound Calibre 1917 MC, this London Boutique Edition Crash comes complete with its factory kit.

With slightly updated case proportions blended with the Crash's unique design and elegant aura, this timepiece was made for the modern day Cartier aficionado.

Own the ultimate collector’s Cartier, today!