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Cartier Ceinture 'Paris' Onyx Diamond, late 1970s

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Cartier (maker)
Date
late 1970s
Country of origin
France
Object type
Wristwatch
Dimensions
Case 25 mm
Stock no.
40950523
Credit line
Dealer listing, Analog/Shift (40950523)
Catalogue title (original)
Cartier Ceinture 'Paris' Onyx Diamond (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by Analog/Shift (dealer), New York (stock number 40950523), this is a wristwatch by Cartier, made in France, dated late 1970s. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 25 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 — Analog/Shift

No, it’s not a Tank. And yes, it deserves your attention! While Parisian jeweler to the stars Cartier may be best known in horological circles for its famed Tank watch, the French firm produced — and continues to produce — numerous other models that deserve equal billing for their unique and sumptuous designs . The Louis Cartier collection, announced by Cartier Paris in 1973, constituted a redesign of the maison’s watch offerings. Fresh takes on classics such as the Tank and Santos Dumont were accompanied by new designs, including that of pieces like the Ellipse, the Tonneau, the Ceinture, and more. This particular Ceinture, a playful departure from the rectangular Tank, dates to the late 1970s. Housed in a Paris-signed 25mm 18K yellow gold octagonal case with a shrouded winding crown, this lovely piece features an acrylic crystal, a white 'Paris' dial with printed Roman indices and 'railroad' minute track, and a matching, blued-steel handset. Powered by a hand-wound movement, it combines classic Cartier appeal with modern geometric appeal. The crowning jewel of this piece is its onyx inlaid bezel and factory set diamonds on the midcoast --- a unique feature present on a subset of the Ceinture pieces. Everyone knows the Tank. This is your chance to own its lesser-known but arguably more compelling sibling!

Historical context

Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)

Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.

Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology

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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