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The Cartier Secret.
After years of auction records, scholarship and increasingly obsessive Cartier collecting, you might assume every worthwhile model has already been discovered. Somehow, the Arcade Ultra Thin is still sitting just outside the spotlight.
Made in the 1970s, it has nearly everything collectors want from vintage Cartier for under $7,000. The case is solid 18k yellow gold, the dial carries the familiar Roman numerals and chemin de fer minute track, and the blued steel hands are joined by a sapphire cabochon crown. The ingredients are unmistakably Cartier, but the recipe is far less familiar.
Its 25mm case sits somewhere between a Baignoire and a Santos-Dumont. The oval center recalls the former, while the exposed screws around the bezel borrow from the latter and its aviation roots. From there, the case narrows into four long, gently curved lugs, creating a continuous outline around the dial. The polished bezel sits slightly proud of the brushed body, and the entire construction is remarkably thin from the side. It feels suave from the front and just a little industrial around the edges.
Inside is the Cartier-signed movement, based on the Frédéric Piguet caliber 21. This exceptionally thin, high-grade manual movement appeared in only a small number of vintage Cartier models, many of which have since become considerably more expensive. It is an unusually serious engine for a watch that has managed to remain so accessible.
On its black ostrich leather strap, the Arcade works equally well on men and women. It has enough width to feel present, but its curved slim profile keeps it elegant and easy to wear. For someone entering vintage Cartier, or a longtime collector who has already scratched the Tank itch, this is a great deal of watch for the money. The secret cannot last forever.
The watch is in very good overall condition with light wear consistent with age.
The solid 18k yellow gold case retains its defined curves, brushed surfaces and polished bezel, with light hairlines and small marks throughout.
The glossy white dial is well preserved, with crisp printing, Roman numerals and chemin de fer minute track.
The caseback retains its brushed finish and clearly visible Cartier Paris signature, serial number 960580161 and gold hallmarks.
The blued steel hands and mineral crystal are in very good condition, and the sapphire cabochon remains intact.
The watch is fitted to a black ostrich leather strap with a Cartier gold-plated buckle, both showing signs of prior wear.
The Cartier-signed caliber 21 manual-wound movement is functioning as intended.
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