CARTIER | PENDULE MYSTERIEUSE "MODEL A", A SUPER RARE ART DECO ROCK CRYSTAL, YELLOW GOLD, ONYX, ENAMEL AND DIAMOND-SET MYSTERY CLOCK, CIRCA 1928

Footnotes

卡地亞，「Pendule Mysterieuse "Model A"」，極罕有裝飾藝術風格水晶搭配黃金及縞瑪瑙、琺瑯鑲鑽石神秘鐘，年份約1928。附原廠展示盒，上鍊鑰匙及2022年保養證明(保養期12個月)。

此拍品由澳洲著名珠寶鐘錶店Angus & Coote創始人Antony Coote饋贈予Mulloon Institute，收益將用於Mulloon Institute非牟利的環境保護和發展之研究及教育工作。

The "Pendules Mystérieuses" or Mystery Clocks are one of the renowned masterpieces of Cartier. It was a collaboration of Louis Cartier and Maurice Couët, who designed the mystery clock for Cartier based on Mystery Clocks created by Jean-Eugène Robert Houdin. The very first mystery clock created by Cartier was named "Model A", produced in 1912 and sold to the American financier J.P. Morgan. The "Model A" samples were mostly made for the royal families and tycoons, such as Queen Mary in 1924 and General Charles de Gaulle in 1945. The present lot is one of the "Model A" produced in the early years. Such piece is very rare to be discovered in well preserved condition and is furthermore offered with the original Cartier box.

The intriguing name 'Mystery Clock' came from the secret movement ingeniously concealed. Each hand is fixed onto a rock crystal disc. These discs have tooth-edged borders that attach screws fixed at the ends of two lateral axles. The axles are hid within the frame and can be driven by the movement hidden in the base. Thus the hands look like drifting in the air.

The exceptional lot is offered by the founder of Mulloon Institute, who founded the Australian jewellery and watches industry leader Angus & Coote. Mulloon Institute is a non-profit organisation which provides research, education and advocacy that actively demonstrates, monitors and shares innovative approaches to regenerative land management. This magnificent Cartier Mystery clock was bequeathed by Antony Coote to the Mulloon Institute, with the aim of contributing the proceeds of its sale to create more resilient, productive environment for agriculture to combat the impact of climate change. For clock connoisseurs and collectors who share the same concern on environmental issues of our planet earth, this is absolutely the museum-level masterpiece to add into your collection.