Sotheby's to Sell $15m Collection of 300 Vintage Cartier Watches

(IDEX Online) - Sotheby's has assembled over 300 vintage Cartier watches, to be sold at a series of Important Watches auctions in Hong Kong, Geneva, and New York.

The timepieces, collected over 25 years by a single connoisseur, represent what it says is "the most important and comprehensive collection of vintage cartier watches brought to market," and are expected to realize over $15 million.

The first watches will be offered in Hong Kong on 24 April 2026, led by a rare and iconic yellow gold "melted" oval wristwatch Cartier London Crash circa 1987 (pictured).  The estimate is HKD 3.2 million to HKD 6.0 million (USD 408,000 to USD 765,000).

It is believed to be one of only three examples made in 1987, originally designed in 1967 by Jean-Jacques Cartier and Rupert Emmerson to capture the Swinging Sixties nonconformist vibe.

Additional highlights from the collection will be unveiled throughout the year.

"Spanning the full breadth of Cartier's creative output, the collection showcases the maison's most iconic designs from the instantly recognizable Cartier Tank to the audacious Cartier Crash, alongside rare variations, early examples, and singular one-offs," said Sotheby's.

The Shapes of Cartier: The Finest Vintage Grouping Ever Assembled, chronicles the technical ingenuity and artistic exploration of Cartier watchmaking over the past century in Paris, London, and New York.