Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Cartier Ceinture c. 1960s, White 'Paris' Dial
- Maker / attribution
- Cartier (maker)
- Date
- c. 1960s
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- France
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 27 mm
- Stock no.
- OC2746
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Oliver & Clarke (OC2746)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Cartier Ceinture c. 1960s - White 'Paris' Dial Unpolished (English)
View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by Oliver & Clarke (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number OC2746), this is a wristwatch by Cartier, made in France, dated c. 1960s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 27 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Oliver & Clarke
Cartier's catalog is full of pieces that don't bear "Tank" in front of the model name, and many remain overlooked or flat out unknown to the vast majority of consumers. Introduced in 1927, the Ceinture is a textbook of an example of one such model. Produced in a variety of variations over the years, including quartz and automatic variants in the 1970s-1980s, all Ceinture variants utilize a symmetrical 'stepped' square case with beveled corners and a 'guarded' flat crown at the 3 o'clock position rather than the usual cabochon crown. The piece that we have here dates to circa the 1960s and is perhaps the most desirable size Ceinture, with a 27mm x 27mm case and a manual-winding movement inside. It comes to us in unpolished condition, with clear and crisp hallmarks and engravings and shows normal signs of wear throughout. The white dial within is nicely preserved, with some faint scattered wear when viewed under magnification and the fantastic 'stamped' black text and indices presenting beautifully. Of course, the correct blued-steel 'sword' handset is also present. Additionally, this example also comes fitted to a black leather strap with a period-correct yellow gold deployant. If nothing from the Tank or Santos family speaks to you, this might just be a perfect alternative, and quite a bit more rare.
Historical context
Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.
The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking
Atlas type guide
Wristwatches
Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.
After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.
What to look for
- The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
- The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
- Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
- Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
- Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
- Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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