Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Cartier Tortue Grand in 18k White Gold "Guilloché" Dial Ref. 3798, early 2000s
- Maker / attribution
- Cartier (maker)
- Date
- early 2000s
- Historical period
- Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
- Country of origin
- France
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- 18k white gold
- Dimensions
- Case 44 mm
- Stock no.
- W-3033
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Bulang & Sons (W-3033)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Cartier Tortue Grand in 18k White Gold "Guilloché" Dial Ref. 3798 (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen (stock number W-3033), this is a wristwatch by Cartier, made in France, dated early 2000s. The Atlas places it in the Mechanical Renaissance period (1990 – 2010) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: 18k white gold. Recorded dimensions: Case 44 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 — Bulang & Sons
Everyone and their aunt might be familiar with Cartier’s Tank and Santos by now, right? Well, what we have here is not that! This is a funky and elegant Tortue (or "Tortoise" in English), a design by Louis Cartier from 1912 that has remained part of the collection for over a century in relatively small production runs. The case is crafted in 18k white gold and measures 44mm lug-to-lug by 36mm (hence the "Grand" nickname). We love how the larger case "hugs" the wrist, thanks to its subtle curve. The bold cabochon crown, used to wind the handwound movement, is a signature Cartier detail. Moving to the dial, we find a beautifully hand-finished guilloché surface, with a hidden Cartier signature nestled in the bold Roman numeral at 7 o’clock. The dial also features a sunken railroad track and blued no-lume hands, adding to its unique charm. The watch is paired with a slightly worn Cartier strap and an 18k white gold folding Cartier clasp. The handwound movement has been thoroughly checked and regulated by our watchmaker. The Cartier Tortue is one of those legendary & timeless shapes designed by Louis Cartier himself—a piece that feels just as right as it looks. If you’ve never seen or felt one, now is your chance. Get in touch! Specifications: - Cartier Tortue “Grand” Reference 3798 - Serial 3643xxx dating to the early 2000s - 18k white gold case, 44x36mm (measured lug-to-lug) - Guilloché dial with Cartier signature at 7 - Blued steel hands - Cartier strap with 18k white gold Cartier folding buckle - Fully checked by our watchmaker
Historical context
Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
Mechanical watches return as cultural objects; independent watchmaking flourishes.
Mechanical watches returned as cultural and luxury objects. Complications, tourbillons and new materials proliferated; independent watchmakers such as George Daniels, F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour revived artisanal watchmaking; collecting vintage watches became a major field.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Quartz Revolution
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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