I’d have told you I knew the Cartier catalogue reasonably well. Tank, Santos, Baignoire, Cloche, Ceinture, Panthère. Enough to be smug about it, anyway.

Then I was in a vintage boutique in Switzerland last week, and while I was waiting the guy put something on the tray I genuinely could not name. It sat somewhere between a Tank and a Santos without being either. Turns out it’s a Chambord, Cartier Paris, made around the late ’70s / early ’80s.

Photos undersell it. The proportions are fantastic.. it’s a small watch that doesn’t read small, because the case is so wide relative to its height. And at 5mm it doesn’t sit on the wrist so much as lie flat against it. 

I put it on and, well. That was the end of my afternoon. I’ve handled a lot of vintage Cartier, but this did something to me I can’t explain. Possibly it’s the surprise of not knowing about it.

Given what Cartier Paris pieces have done in the last few years, I’d braced myself for something north of $10k. It came in around $8.5k. I ordered it on the spot but I’ve asked the watchmaker to service it and change the strap before I bring it home. If anyone has one, or knows more about the history, I’d love to hear your thoughts! 

Cheers!

[Cartier] Fifteen years of Cartier obsession and I’d never heard of the Chambord (ref #10715)