Record-Breaking Cartier Auction Sees Crash Watch Sell for $2 Million

A rare 1987 Cartier London Crash watch shattered expectations, fetching a record-breaking $2 million at Sotheby’s Important Watches auction in Hong Kong. The sale was part of a larger event dedicated to vintage Cartier timepieces, which resulted in the highest total ever achieved for a watch sale at Sotheby’s.

A Landmark Auction for Cartier

The Hong Kong auction, held on April 24th, saw the highly sought-after Cartier London Crash watch, circa 1987, sell for HKD 15,616,000 (approximately $1.994 million). This price established a new record for the brand, significantly surpassing its pre-sale estimate of HKD 3.2 million to HKD 6.0 million ($408,000 to $766,000). Sotheby’s noted that the model is among the rarest and most coveted Cartier timepieces, with fewer than a dozen original London Crash watches produced between 1967 and 1970, and only three made in 1987. The bidding war for the 1987 Crash watch lasted nine minutes, ultimately selling to a Japanese private collector.

This exceptional sale was a highlight of “The Shapes of Cartier: The Finest Vintage Grouping Ever Assembled” event. The overall Important Watches auction achieved a staggering $52.9 million, marking a new record for any watch sale at Sotheby’s and becoming the most valuable watch auction ever held in Asia. The “Shapes of Cartier” collection, comprising over 300 timepieces collected over 25 years by a single connoisseur, represents the most significant and comprehensive collection of vintage Cartier watches ever brought to market.

Further Records and Exceptional Sales

The “Shapes of Cartier” collection traces a century of Cartier’s horological innovation and design. While the Hong Kong debut featured 82 pieces and garnered $13.8 million with every lot sold, additional pieces are slated for Sotheby’s auctions in Geneva and New York through December.

The auction also saw records set for other Cartier London models:

• A Cartier London Tank J.J.C. Allongée watch, circa 1992, sold for $735,000 against a pre-sale estimate of $40,000 to $60,000.
• A Cartier London Tank Normale watch, circa 1967-1968, achieved $588,000 against a pre-sale estimate of $30,000 to $50,000.
• A Cartier London Baignoire watch, circa 1973-1974, fetched $621,000 against its pre-sale estimate of $50,000 to $70,000.

Other standout Cartier pieces included:

• A highly unusual Cartier London Asymétrique watch with blue enamel, circa 1973-1974, sold for $850,000, more than ten times its high estimate. Only five known Cartier London enamel watches from this era exist.
• A Cartier Paris oval-form skeletonized wristwatch in 18-karat yellow gold, circa 1973, sold for $948,000 against a high-end estimate of approximately $51,000.
• A Cartier London purse watch in the form of a walnut, circa 1958-1959, fetched $123,000, sixteen times its high-end estimate of $8,000.
• A Cartier Paris Art Deco clip watch, circa 1928-1929, sold for $98,000, ten times its high estimate of $10,000.

Beyond Cartier: Patek Philippe, A. Lange & Söhne, and Daniel Roth

The auction also featured notable timepieces from other prestigious brands, with several setting new records. Geoff Hess, global head of Sotheby’s watches, commented on the sale’s success, stating, “This sale was a resounding success and a powerful signal for the market, surpassing the previous highest total set in our New York sale room only four months ago.”

Notable sales from other brands included:

• A world record was set for an A. Lange & Söhne Tourbillon Pour le Mérite Ref. 701.007, circa 1998, which sold for $1.3 million, far exceeding its $150,000 to $300,000 estimate.
• A Patek Philippe La Maison Platine (Ref. 2552), a highly important vintage wristwatch, achieved $768,000, setting a world record for the model.
• A Daniel Roth Tourbillon Skeleton watch from 1995 became the most valuable piece from the watchmaker, selling for $866,000 against a high-end estimate of $250,000.

The Important Watches sale in Hong Kong achieved a 97 percent sell-through rate, with over half of the lots exceeding their high estimates. The event attracted more than 800 bidders from over 50 countries, a 50 percent increase from the previous season, signaling strong market demand for exceptional vintage timepieces.