In the early 1970s, Cartier unveiled the Ellipse, a horological marvel nestled within the famed "Louis Cartier Collection" featuring twelve distinctive "shaped" watches. Among its esteemed companions—the Santos Dumont, Tank Louis, Ceinture, Cristallor, Gondollo, and Stepped Tank—the Ellipse emerged as a timeless embodiment of aesthetic grace, with roots tracing back to Euclid's discovery of the Golden Section.
Renamed by the Renaissance mathematician Luca Pacioli as "De Divina Proportione," this enduring principle dictates the sublime ratio of 1 to 1.6181, defining the precise point at which to gracefully divide a line into two unequal yet harmonious lengths.
Embodying this mathematical poetry, the Cartier Golden Ellipse boasts a captivating double-stepped bezel, powered by the manual wind 78 caliber. This specific example we have on offer is the large LM-sized Ellipse, tailored for the discerning men of its era. With dimensions measuring 32.5mm x 28.5mm and just 7.5mm thick, the case of this Ellipse is crafted from 18k yellow gold.
In the realm of watchmaking, Cartier earns its moniker as the "master of shapes" through exemplary creations like the Ellipse. The maison's unparalleled artistry thrives on the ability to sculpt refreshingly unique designs that defy the conventions of their time.
This Cartier Ellipse in yellow gold is in overall great vintage condition. The ellipse shaped double stepped case is strong and retains its beautiful lines. The case has minor scratches as is expected from a watch of this age. For a Cartier from this era, the case is in great condition. The dial is the original Paris signed white lacquered dial which is very rare given most dials get replaced by Cartier during servicing to a "Swiss only" dial. The vast majority of Cartier white lacquered dials produced in the 70's have cracks and this example is no exception with slight cracks that have formed throughout the dial. However, the cracks are not very visible with the naked eye. The dial has no blemishes or discoloration. The original black painted numerals is in beautiful condition as well. The caliber 78 movement has been serviced by the previous owner back in 2022. The watch comes with a black Cartier leather strap from the previous which is in worn condition. The watch also comes with its original Cartier 18k gold deployant buckle which is very rare and valuable in itself. The watch also comes with a Cartier box.
