Cartier Arrondie gm Paris dial + Box

Cartier took the familiar Tank, softened its corners and ended up with something far more rarer than your average Tank. This Cartier Arrondie GM dates to circa 1979 and belongs to one of the more interesting corners of the Tank family. Its 18k yellow gold case trades the Tank’s usual straight architecture for rounded brancards and a gently curved outline, sitting somewhere between a rectangle and an ellipse. The result is unmistakably Cartier, but not one you encounter every day. The white dial brings the geometry back into focus. Black Roman numerals surround a rectangular chemin-de-fer minute track, while blued sword hands add a touch of colour. Beneath six o’clock, the small Paris signature marks this as a watch associated with Cartier’s Place Vendôme boutique, a discreet detail with serious appeal among vintage Cartier collectors. Its rounded gold case is wonderfully slim, with an acrylic crystal and sapphire cabochon crown completing the profile. The watch remains fitted to a new original Cartier leather strap and original 18k gold buckle, details that make Cartier of this age feel especially coherent. Some might say the inside is even more fun than the inside. Open the case and you see Cartier’s hand-wound calibre 21, based on the ultra-thin Frédéric Piguet movement. Its construction allows the Arrondie to sit close to the wrist, leaving the shape and proportions to take centre stage. Less obvious than a Tank Louis and softer than a Santos, this Arrondie occupies its own rather stylish space. A late-seventies Cartier in yellow gold, with a Paris dial, original strap and buckle, and a case that rewards a second look. Available at Reestraat 3, Amsterdam.