Shapely Figure
The Cartier Baignoire collection celebrates the underrated oval watch case with seductive design updates
The classic Cartier Baignoire collection just amped up its elegance with cool design updates, featuring new cases and more sparkles
Cartier has a knack for taking something uncommon and turning it into a classic. For instance the Santos, which was not only one of the earliest wristwatches created for men but also featured an unconventional square-shaped case, a concept unheard of when it was first released in the early 20th century. Today, the Santos is one of the flagship models for the French house.
Louis Cartier, the grandson of Cartier’s founder Louis-francois, was the brainchild behind Santos’ groundbreaking design. The highly creative scion didn’t stop there—a few years after the release of Santos, in 1912 to be exact, he experimented with the conventional round case, stretching it sideways to create a shape that was dubbed baignoire (or ‘bathtub’ in French).
It comprises two parallel lines connected by two curves. The name stuck but the shape evolved over the years before finally settling into the current vertically elongated curved oval design in 1958. Unconventional yet elegant, it was so tres chic that it turned such French luminaries as Catherine Deneuve and Jeanne Moreau into big fans.
This year, Cartier revisits the classic Baignoire with a case in yellow gold. Those who crave a little more bling would be pleased with the white gold model set with 228 diamonds worth a total of 2.32 carats.
THE PULL FACTOR
In the 1960s, Cartier revisited the Baignoire, curious to find if it could make it even more relevant for the Swinging era. It stretched out the oval further until it covered the entire width of a woman’s wrist. The result was a more slender look but with sharper curves—an edgier take on the shape. This became the design distinction of the Baignoire Allongée.
The latest versions, endowed with the manual-winding 1917 MC movement, come in medium or extra large size, in either a case of pink gold or white gold. Choice of dials includes a classic with stylised Roman numerals or an extravagant version set entirely in diamonds.
The repertoire is also enhanced with a version that is sure to garner you the right attention: a gold (in white or pink) case sporting studs that mimic a diamondset surface, recalling the aesthetics of the contemporary Clash de Cartier jewellery.
Who knew the oval, so innocent and understated, could be so much fun?
The word ‘baignoire’ means ‘bathtub’ in French