The largest collection of vintage Cartier watches, including a super rare Crash watch, will be auctioned by Sotheby’s. Read all about it below.
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Watch nerds, assemble. Sotheby’s is preparing to auction the biggest and most comprehensive collection of vintage Cartier watches ever brought to market. More than 300 timepieces from Cartier’s workshops in Paris, London and New York will be presented at the auction house’s Important Watches sales across Hong Kong, Geneva and New York between now and the end of the year.
If you’ve ever lusted after a signature Cartier Tank, the highly unusual Cartier Decagonal or even an ultra-rare Cartier Crash, this could be your moment.
Assembled over 25 years, this historic group of watches is considered the very best of its kind, with pieces that span the full gamut of Cartier’s creative output and artistic exploration – particularly of its famed Cartier London Studio. In the 1960s, this workshop functioned independently to the brand’s Paris branch and thrived under the creative direction of Jean-Jacques Cartier (great-grandson of Cartier’s founder, Louis-François) and became renowned for its experimental creativity. It produced bold, boundary-pushing designs that challenged the watchmaking culture of the time, including the emblematic Crash watch in 1967, conceived by Jean-Jacques Cartier and head designer Rupert Emmerson, plus new versions of the oval-shaped Baignoire (so beloved by film stars of the day like Romy Schneider and Catherine Deneuve).
“The appeal of vintage Cartier lies in its ability to capture a moment in design history while remaining entirely timeless. Whether in the bold asymmetry of the Cartier Crash watch or the refined proportions of the Cartier Baignoire Allongée, each watch reflects a unique dialogue between artistry and innovation,” says Sam Hines, Global Chairman of Sotheby’s Watches. “This collection is remarkable not only for its breadth, but for its depth – particularly in its unprecedented assembly of Cartier London pieces, many of which are among the most important examples ever to appear on the market.”
The first part of the sale will take place in Hong Kong on 24th April 2026, led by a rare yellow gold Cartier Crash circa 1987, and is expected to achieve over $15 million. Other highlights of the sale include a 10-sided Cartier Decagonal watch crafted in 18K yellow gold (estimated at $60,000 – $80,000), a sleek Tan Asymétrique in 18K white gold from 1992 (also estimated at $60,000 – $80,000) and a Cartier Driver’s wristwatch, with its unusual curved rectangular shape from around 1966 – 67 (estimated at $50,000 – $80,000).
With the highlights of the Geneva and New York sales still yet to be revealed, this sale is surely one that will keep making headlines for months to come.
Like this? Learn more about Cartier’s groundbreaking London watch studio.
