Cartier/European Watch & Clock Co., Inc.

• gilt lever movement, 12 jewels • rotating teardrop-form hour indicators with gold Roman numerals over white enamel traveling the recessed sector framed by Arabic numerals indicating the minutes • the portrait framed by a white enamel bezel set with periwinkle blue bars spaced by gold florets, the recessed centerfield in periwinkle blue with geometrically spaced fleurettes and discs, the outer bezel centered at the base with a single flower issuing forth a foliate wreath, gold-framed ebonite case, gilt-brass strut • movement and strut signed European Watch & Clock Co., Inc., case signed Cartier NY, strut hand-stamped with Cartier reference numbers, case further stamped MC for Maurice Couet

A very rare example for the Cartier collector. The movement will run, however the winding crown to the reverse does not set the wandering hour time display, as there is a wheel loose which will require repair. We recommend service for accurate timekeeping. The central frame and cut sector can be rotated slightly. There are some light surface scuffs to the white and blue enamel, with the most noticeable imperfection between 20 and 25 in the minutes display.The case back is well stamped Cartier N. Y. and both the front and back gold borders are well stamped with the eagle's head and MC for Maurice Coüet. The gilt strut is further stamped E. W. & Co. Co, Inc., 248, France. Please note that while the portrait is quite interesting and harkens back to the piece's history, it can be replaced should the buyer wish to insert a portrait of a loved one. Alternatively, a mirror insert could be another choice. Behind the photograph is a plain gilt metal reserve.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. All dimensions in catalogue descriptions are approximate. Condition reports may not specify mechanical replacements or imperfections to the movement, case, dial, pendulum, separate base(s) or dome. Watches in water-resistant cases have been opened to examine movements but no warranties are made that the watches are currently water-resistant. Please note that we do not guarantee the authenticity of any individual component parts, such as wheels, hands, crowns, crystals, screws, bracelets and leather bands, since subsequent repairs and restoration work may have resulted in the replacement of original parts. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. In particular, please note it is the purchaser's responsibility to comply with any applicable import and export matters, particularly in relation to lots incorporating materials from endangered species.NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

**Please be advised that bands made of materials derived from endangered or otherwise protected species (i.e. alligator and crocodile) are not sold with the watches and are for display purposes only. We reserve the right to remove these bands prior to shipping.

Important Notice regarding importation into the United States of Rolex watches
Sotheby's cannot arrange for the delivery of Rolex watches to the United States because U.S. laws restricts the import of Rolex watches. The buyer or a designated agent may collect the property in the country of sale."

The present lot offers a rare opportunity for discerning Cartier collectors to own a piece previously unknown to the market. According to our research, a similar example has never before been offered at auction.

A review of historical Cartier reference books uncovers only one similar timepiece of circular form, featuring a photograph of Queen Mary, crowned and upon a throne. That example differs from the present in that it features translucent enamel over guilloché, whereas the present features opaque enamel decorated with gold florets. It is well documented, illustrated on p. 60 of Le Temps de Cartier by Jader Barracca, as well as on p. 247 of Cartier: Jewelers Extraordinary, by Hans Nadelhoffer. Three other examples are illustrated which are housed in square and arch-form cases, on p. 60 and 106 of Barracca's book and p. 224 of Nadelhoffer's book. The photograph in the second is of Tsar Nicolas II, and the third features a photograph of a member of the Romanian royal family. The 2009 Cartier and America exhibition also featured a 1920 piece with similar shape and jumping hour function, fitted with a Chinese lacquer panel at the center, which was a gift from William S. Paley, head of CBS.

This example has been kept in the family of the original owner for three generations since its purchase. It was offered as a gift from husband to wife to commemorate their move from Europe to America to begin their new life together. Her photograph is currently displayed in the frame.

Art Deco pieces by the firm are prized not only for their beauty and design, but for the technical innovations the firm incorporated under the auspices of master horologist Maurice Coüet. Born in 1855 to a family of horologists, he was trained in the Breguet tradition. His enormous talent culminated in the creation of the first Cartier mystery clock in 1913.

The clever mechanics of the present lot pay tribute to Coüet's spirit of invention. While the wandering hours function is best known from Cartier's Chronoscope models, the present example requires a more complicated layout than the simple discs normally employed in a jumping hour timepiece. On the present example, the hour indicators are placed in rotating groups of four, which are evenly spaced and mathematically organized on three arms. This complex dance ensures the accuracy of the simple and legible display, so that at the beginning of each hour, the corresponding indicator appears in the sector below the minute indication. The genius behind concealing highly technical elements in an ethereal and delicate frame is sheer Coüet, in the tradition of Cartier's celebrated Mystery and Comet clocks from the same time period.