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 WGCH0006, is especially desirable. Released in 2019 for the London boutique with the aesthetic of Crash models from the 1980s and 1990s, this contemporary piece looks and feels much like the original Crash of the 1960s. The general belief is that Cartier is delivering only one Crash per month, making these an extreme rarity.
This piece features a 38.5mm x 22.5mm 18K yellow case with a custom-cut sapphire crystal made specifically for the intentionally misshapen case of the Crash. Fitted with Cartier's defining blue sapphire cabochon crown, this piece houses a silvery dial with stylized Roman numerals and a blued-steel 'sword' handset. A signed, caramel brown leather strap with tone-on-tone stitching and matching yellow gold deployant clasp, which itself is malformed to play on the crash motif, complement the warm case tones beautifully.
Powered by the manually-wound Calibre 8971MC, this London Boutique Edition Crash comes complete with its inner and outer boxes, a signed travel pouch, books, and warranty card dated February, 2022.
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!