Cartier Time Art – Mechanics of Passion opens its door in Zürich

Cartier just opened the Cartier Time Art exhibition in Zürich, Switzerland. A beautifully designed exhibition with an huge number of very rare vintage Cartiers. If you have the opportunity to visit… do so! 

Cartier shows 156 of its historical timepieces, selected from the treasures of the Cartier Collection. Some timepieces are among the first wristwatches Cartier made and this is even more special if you consider that Cartier’s Santos Dumont is said to be the first real wrist watch. Besides the oldest Santos Dumont timepieces, there are also early models of the Tank Cintrée and a Cartier Crash.

Many of the timepieces have quite a story to them, however the story of the Cartier Crash is really remarkable. The Crash was originally designed and launched by Cartier London in 1967. Until a few decades ago Cartier was consisted of three independent departments, one in Paris, one in London and one in New York. The vice president of Cartier London, was involved in an accident in which his car caught fire. His watch, a Cartier Maxi Oval would was melted after exposure to the high temperatures. This inspired the designers of Cartier and they created the Crash. The Crash on display at the exhibition, has “London” written on the dial. Later Cartier released a limited edition of 13 pieces for the re-opening of the Cartier store at the Rue de la Paix, in Paris, in 2005.

Moderator of the Cartier forum at Revolution Online posted a great report of the Cartier Time Art exhibition.