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Why is it called the Cartier Crash?
1 Answer

Why it is called the Cartier Crash relates to the unique shape of the watch. The case and dial of the timepiece have a smashed, wavy appearance, similar to what a watch might look like if it were smashed or crushed in a crash or collision. There are various stories of how this imaginative design came into being. Some people claim that the designers Jean-Jacques Cartier and Rupert Emmerson got the idea for the timepiece after a customer brought in a damaged watch for repair. Another theory is that the prominent melting clock in Salvador Dalí's painting The Persistence of Memory served as the inspiration. Shop a variety of Cartier watches on 1stDibs.
1stDibs ExpertNovember 13, 2024
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Shop for Cartier Watches on 1stDibs
Cartier Montre Santos Lady Acier Or 1990s Automatic Steel Gold Santos Lady Watch
By Cartier
Located in PARIS, FR
Cartier Santos Lady watch in steel and 18K yellow gold, automatic movement, white dial with railway track minute markers and Roman numerals, adjustable steel and yellow gold bracelet...
Category
1990s French Wrist Watches
Materials
Gold, Steel
Cartier Diabolo Ladies Round Watch - 18K Gold & Diamonds
By Cartier
Located in Suwanee, GA
NAMED ONE OF WATCHPRO MAGAZINE’S “HOT 100” - THE TOP 100 INFLUENCERS OF THE U.S. WATCH INDUSTRY. HOW CAN WE SERVE YOU?
We’re new to offering our carefully curated collection on 1stD...
Category
2010s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
18k Gold
CARTIER LANIER Ladies 18K White Gold & Factory Diamond Watch
By Cartier
Located in Suwanee, GA
NAMED ONE OF WATCHPRO MAGAZINE’S “HOT 100” - THE TOP 100 INFLUENCERS OF THE U.S. WATCH INDUSTRY. HOW CAN WE SERVE YOU?
We’re new to offering our carefully curated collection on 1stDibs, but we have sold over 10,000 fine watches and exceptionally served thousands of customers with a 5.0 star rating.
CARTIER LANIER Ladies Hexagon Watch - 18K White Gold & Cartier Factory Set Diamonds
$32,900 Retail Equivalent - Gorgeous Condition - 2 Year Warranty
The Cartier Lanier is a study in structure. Its elongated case is defined by crisp planes, sharp transitions, and deliberate geometry - a design that feels architectural rather than ornamental, and unmistakably Cartier in its discipline. It presents as a composed object, where every line serves a purpose and nothing is accidental.
Executed in 18K white gold, its case is factory set with square diamonds that run in precise channels along both sides. These stones are not applied as decoration, but as part of the case’s construction - integrated into the architecture of the watch itself. The result is a piece that reads as both jewelry and design object, without leaning excessively toward either.
Its silvered dial, signed Cartier and finished with classic Roman numerals, provides visual balance and legibility - and make the watch immediately recognizable as a Cartier. It reinforces the maison’s long-standing design language, anchoring the watch in tradition while allowing the case to express a more modern, sculptural sensibility.
Most of the diamond Cartier watches...
Category
2010s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
White Gold
Ballon Bleu de Cartier watch
By Cartier
Located in Sausalito, CA
With the Ballon Bleu watch, Cartier offers a singular vision of roundness, all curves and harmony. A timeless watchmaking icon whose roundness elegantly embraces the skin.
Product D...
Category
2010s Wrist Watches
Materials
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage Rare Cartier Colisée 18 Karat Yellow Gold and Cabochon Sapphires
By Cartier
Located in New York, NY
Maker: Cartier
Model: Vintage Colisée
Year: 1980s
Material: 18k Yellow Gold, Diamonds and Cabochon Sapphires
Dial: White Roman
Case Measurement: 24mm
Movement: Quartz
Condition: Very...
Category
Vintage 1980s Swiss Modern Wrist Watches
Materials
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Cartier Pasha 35mm Stainless Steel Automatic Watch
By Cartier
Located in Coral Gables, FL
This iconic pre-owned Cartier Pasha Automatic watch is crafted in polished stainless steel and features the classic 35mm case, offering a perfect balance of sport-luxury design and r...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel


