The Cartier Man
Harry Fane quite possibly knows more about vintage Cartier wristwatches than Cartier itself.
THE APPRECIATION OF beautiful objects is a fine art and often, it is best learnt from the experts. Harry Fane is one such individual. For decades, the English-born art dealer built a business and a lifestyle trading in beautiful things and he settled on vintage Cartier wristwatches as his personal area of passion and interest. These days, he is reputed to know more about Cartier than even Cartier itself. Fane was recently in Kuala Lumpur at the behest of the jewellery and art boutique Lotus Arts de Vivre to give a private talk on vintage Cartier Tank watches. I took the opportunity to ask Fane to share with Robb Report his expert opinion on collecting these watches.
On Cartier’s Celebrity Cachet
“Anyone can own a vintage watch. The fundamentals of buying vintage watches are the same worldwide: seeking an alternative or a more classic aesthetic, owning something with some age, some history, some romance. As for vintage Cartier watches, owning something beautiful, stylish and elegant are three criteria that are hard to find in the modern watchmaking world. The best watches made during the 20th century were from Cartier. Just look at the previous adopters such as Muhammad Ali, Clark Gable, Marlene Dietrich, Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana and Andy Warhol. Even Kanye West sports a vintage Cartier Crash watch.”
On Collectors
“Most of the people who buy vintage Cartier watches are not collectors, they are simply people who want to own a vintage Cartier watch to wear. They will buy just the one watch and keep it for a lifetime. Of course, there are collectors who are completely infected by the ‘collecting bug’, which drives them to seek only the rarest models. Once on that route, they are hooked and getting their fix can be phenomenally hard. These vintage Cartier models
“The Tank was designed in 1917 and it is still being sold by Cartier today. That illustrates the
extraordinary success of the design.”
are very rare. For example, only 1,803 Tank watches were made by Cartier between 1919 and 1960. If you are a rabid collector, it is very difficult but when you find something rare, it is amazingly exciting.”
On the Tank
“The Tank is probably the most recognisable watch design of the 20th century. Of course, everyone has heard of Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet, but hold one up and who could recognise one from another? Hold up a Tank at 20m and everyone will instantly recognise it as a Cartier. Thus the appreciation of the Tank watch is really not very demanding. It is interesting to note that the Tank was designed in 1917 and that it is still being sold by Cartier today. That illustrates the extraordinary success of the design.”
On the Importance of Research
“Whether you’re buying one watch or starting a collection, reading is the best way to start. There are quite a few books that tell the story very well and can show you the full extent of the Cartier production. Then I highly recommend finding someone you trust and who has a good knowledge before buying.”
On Buying for Returns
“Art is about the appreciation of beauty and the acquiring of knowledge. If you follow these two paths, in time your artwork will most probably have increased in value. Certainly, your dividend is paid off in spades by owning something rare and unusual and has been treasured already for many decades or centuries. If you buy for investment, then it’s only about the money. These watches were never about that. These watches were about elegance and style. Buy with your heart is my advice.”