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Lot Essay
The present watch is number one of an extremely small series of Mystery Dress Watches made by Cartier in the early 1970s in both gold and platinum. It is accompanied by the original Cartier platinum chain.
The talented 28 year old clockmaker, Maurice Coukt perfected the art of illusion with one of Cartier's masterpieces, the Mystery Clock beginning in 1913 with the celebrated Model A. The mechanism of these clocks is hidden in the frame so the hands seem to float in space without any connection to the movement. Rather than moving by conventional clock-making techniques the hands are set into two rotating crystal discs with toothed metal rims that are propelled by gears in the case of the clock or watch.
The talented 28 year old clockmaker, Maurice Coukt perfected the art of illusion with one of Cartier's masterpieces, the Mystery Clock beginning in 1913 with the celebrated Model A. The mechanism of these clocks is hidden in the frame so the hands seem to float in space without any connection to the movement. Rather than moving by conventional clock-making techniques the hands are set into two rotating crystal discs with toothed metal rims that are propelled by gears in the case of the clock or watch.