Cartier "Gouvernail" in 18K Yellow Gold, late 1940s

Dealer description — Bulang & Sons

This is a very seldom-seen “Gouvernail” model – in English, “Rudder,” the “steering wheel” of a boat or ship. Cartier cases rarely come in a perfectly round shape; there’s usually a gentle twist, something that draws your eye and leaves you wondering. This one features 12 round pillars holding the dial, no winding crown on the side, Vendôme-style lugs, a very "sterile" dial, and blued sword hands… very odd! These wristwatches are RARE. There are several sizes (ranging from 24mm up to 40mm), several metals (yellow gold, white gold, and platinum), and ONLY around 35 of these, in all combinations, are known to exist! These watches were produced from the 1940s until the end of the 1960s. The initial models featured a Jaeger (yes, the same Jaeger from Jaeger-LeCoultre) 'Duoplan' movement. The gear train and components were arranged across two levels (hence 'Duo Plan'), and to conserve even more space, the crown was placed at the back, eliminating any visible winding mechanism – just like the watch we have here! The 24mm case (wearing larger due to the Vendôme-style lugs) is in excellent condition and is fitted with a fine leather strap and an original Cartier 18K gold folding buckle. This super rare Cartier has been fully serviced by our watchmaker, and the 'Ship-Wheel' is certainly a design that stands out. Wearing this would surely mean you’d have something on your wrist that your peers are unlikely to have! Specifications: - Cartier “Gouvernail” - 18K Yellow gold case with Vendôme-style lugs, backwinded, 24mm - Serial 104xxx dating to the late 1940s - White dial with blued sword hands - Comes on the photographed leather strap with an 18K yellow gold folding buckle - JLC 'Duoplan' hand-wound movement - Fully serviced by our watchmaker