From dragon-guarded mystery clocks to Art Deco masterpieces, Phillips is set to hold upcoming sales that offer a once-in-a-generation chance to own the most exquisite timekeepers by Cartier
Elegance, innovation, and impeccable craftsmanship–that is what Cartier has long been standing for, but this May, its horological artistry takes centre stage.
Phillips is set to auction an extraordinary collection of nine rare Cartier clocks, with each a one-of-a-kind creation spanning the maison’s golden age from the early 1900s through the 1940s. Presented across two major sales in Geneva and Hong Kong, the clocks offer collectors the kind of opportunity that comes along, quite literally, once in a generation.
Headlining the Geneva Watch Auction: XXI on 10 and 11 May is the legendary Portico Mystery Clock No. 3, crafted in 1924. Towering at 38.1 cm and adorned with rose quartz, enamel, diamonds, and onyx, the museum-quality timepiece is expected to fetch in excess of US$2.28 million. Suspended within a Chinese temple-inspired frame, the rock crystal dial appears to float, a hallmark of Cartier’s illusionist ingenuity that helped define Art Deco design.
Equally captivating are the pieces going under the hammer in Hong Kong’s Watch Auction: XX from 23 to 25 May. These include a circa-1930 mystery clock, crowned by a coral sculpture of a dragon and Bixie (a symbol of power and good fortune in Chinese mythology), a luminous lantern-style desk clock featuring glowing nephrite panels and dual mother-of-pearl dials, and also a red amber and black enamel desk clock set with a jade dial and rose-cut diamond hands.
Also on offer: a charming miniature prism clock from the 1940s that vanishes from view when not seen head-on, and a regal pink marble and agate table clock from 1905 with built-in barometer and thermometer.
Described by Aurel Bacs as “one of the most important assemblies of Cartier clocks at auction in decades,” this collection is a tribute to the maison’s ability to unite mechanical mastery with artistic vision. For serious collectors, it’s not just about telling time; it’s about owning history.
