Antiques M.S. Rau | Citrine, Onyx And Diamond Mystery Clock By Cartier

This Extraordinary French Mystery Clock By Cartier Captivates With Its Mechanical Complexity, Breathtaking Artistry And Overwhelming Grandeur. Crafted With A Plethora Of Precious Materials Including Citrine, Onyx, Diamonds And Rare Green Chalcedony Called Chrysoprase, The Grand Luxury Of The Timepiece’S Materials Is Matched By Its Captivating Movement.

The Timepiece Works As If By Magic Thanks To An Ingenious Design Inspired By The Famous French Magician And Illusionist Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin. The Mystery Clock Was Conceived By Louis Cartier And The House’S Clockmaker Maurice Couët, With The First Models Produced In 1912. The Hands Appear To Float Freely In Space, Rotating With No Apparent Mechanism To Drive Them. Yet, It Is Not Just The Illusion Of Space And The Groundbreaking Technology That Makes This Clock Special; It Is Also A Bejeweled Objet D’Art That Reflects The Heights Of Cartier’S Craftsmanship And Design.

This Exquisite Timepiece Features A Faceted Octagonal Citrine Dial With Rose-Cut Diamond Hands And Exterior Trim. The Bezel Is Adorned With Diamond Hour Markers, Set Within A Chrysoprase Border And Mother-Of-Pearl Support Embellished With Diamonds. The Octagonal Plinth Is Made Of Onyx, Chrysoprase, And Sterling Silver.

The Cartier Tradition Of Clockmaking Extends Almost As Far Back As The Founding Of The Company In 1898. Thereafter, Cartier’S Clocks And Watches Were Manufactured With An Emphasis On Technical Perfection, Fashionable Aesthetics And Originality. At First A Secondary Activity, Cartier’S Definitive Approach To L’Horlogerie Quickly Became — And Remains — A Point Of Prestige For This Famed Company. Mystery Clocks Such As The Present Timepiece Remain Among Cartier’S Most Sophisticated Luxury Productions.

This Clock Is Accompanied By Winding Keys And Housed In Its Fitted Red Leather Cartier Case.

Marked “Cartier Paris,” Case No. 201207

Circa 1970

Clock: 10″ High X 6″ Wide X 4″ Deep
Box: 11 3/4″ High X 7 3/8″ Wide X 5″ Deep