Cartier Baignoire Allongee, 1990s

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

At Analog:Shift, we’ve always been passionate about Cartier’s more obscure watches. We love the Tank and the Santos, but recognize that there are so many lesser appreciated references that deserve our attention. Take for example this Cartier Baignoire Allongee in yellow gold. The Baignoire — or ‘bathtub,’ for we Americans — is a collection that dates all the way back to 1906. Elegantly rounded with a thick, wide bezel, it still exists in the contemporary Cartier lineup as a series of svelte ladies’ watches whose proportions and executions simply ooze elegance. Once more, we see how Cartier takes inspiration from the most mundane items and elevates them to a level of refinement befitting a gentleman or lady of class. This particular Baignoire Allongee dates to the 1990s, a period when the maison designed a proliferation of unique designs. This piece comes with a full diamond case decked to the nines. Unlike most Baignoires, the Allongee is elongated, accentuating the major axis of the ellipse-shaped case. The 18K yellow gold case itself measures 21mm in width and 47mm in length, but the rounded case back allows the piece to conform to smaller wrists. While this piece is certainly more fashion-centered, it still features a manually-wound movement as arguably every elegant watch should. Featuring a silver dial with Roman indices, a blued-steel 'sword' handset and a matching cabochon crown with a diamond inset, this piece is outfitted with a signed burgundy alligator strap equipped with a correct signed 18K yellow gold deployant buckle. If you’re looking for an elegant lady’s piece from a golden era in Cartier’s storied history, this is the one to get!