Cartier, London | Ronde | An extremely rare yellow gold circular wristwatch with Arabic 13-24 hour numerals and original gold deployant buckle, Circa 1969-70
Cartier, London
Ronde
An extremely rare yellow gold circular wristwatch with Arabic 13-24 hour numerals and original gold deployant buckle, Circa 1969-70
Dial: white dial signed Cartier, black stylised Arabic numerals in 24-hour format, blued steel épée hands
Calibre: 9¼’’’ calibre P838 circular movement signed Jaeger-LeCoultre, damascened Côtes de Genève decoration, lever escapement, jewelled to the centre, annular balance, flat hairspring, Kif Trior shock absorber
Movement number: backplate numbered 1'862'068
Case: 18k yellow gold circular case, slim curved bezel, concealed t-bar style Vendôme lugs, polished case back, case back secured by two screws to case sides above 12 o’clock and beneath 6 o’clock, beaded cabochon sapphire-set crown
Case number: case back interior with London hallmarks for 18k gold, date letter ‘o’ for 1969-70, [JC] Jean-Jacques Cartier punch mark and numbered 8'726
Closure: black unsigned leather strap and 18k gold deployant buckle, with London hallmarks for 18k gold, date letter ‘o’ for 1969-70, [JC] Jean-Jacques Cartier punch mark and numbered 8726
Size: 30 mm diameter
Accessories: none
Our research indicates that, to date, only one example made by the Cartier London workshop with a 13–24-hour calibration is known, highlighting the extraordinary rarity of this design. This may suggest that the dial configuration was a special request. The watch’s calibrations for the afternoon and evening hours are a deliberate nod to the glamorous nightlife of 1960s London, when the city’s wealthy socialites, artists, and celebrities dominated the party scene. Exclusive soirées at venues like Annabel’s in Mayfair or private townhouse gatherings offered a decadent backdrop where time truly began after midday.
This unique design catered perfectly to night owls and trendsetters, blending style and function in a way that made the watch a true conversation starter. It embodies the spirit of the Swinging Sixties, when London stood at the forefront of cultural and social innovation, and its elite partied well into the night.
The Ronde has an elegant simplicity with its perfectly circular case. Concealed Vendôme-style T-bar lugs, a Cartier innovation patented in 1934, allowed the watch case to “float” on its strap, ensuring the dial remained the visual centrepiece. These lugs were also used in other Cartier London creations of the era, cleverly enhancing the prominence of the case while maintaining the watch’s overall balance.卡地亞 倫敦 Ronde 極爲罕有黃金圓形腕錶，備阿拉伯數字13到24時標及原裝金錶扣，約1969-70年製
