Cartier is bringing back one of its strangest and most loved designs. The French jeweler just revealed a new version of the Crash watch ahead of SIHH. The case comes in 18kt white or rose gold and measures 38.5mm x 25.5mm. Cartier set 150 diamonds into it for a total of 2.15 carats. Inside beats a Swiss manual-wind Cartier caliber with 18 jewels. You get a mineral crystal up front and a solid caseback. Want more sparkle? The optional diamond bracelet adds 471 more diamonds weighing 4.27 carats.
The Crash has been around since late 1967 and its origin story is wild. According to legend, a Cartier vice president from the London office died in a car crash. His watch, a Cartier Bagnoire Alongee, was caught in the fire and the heat melted it into a warped, surreal shape. The team at Cartier found the melted design strangely beautiful. They released it as a tribute to their colleague and the Crash was born.
Dark history aside, the watch became a cult favorite. This new version keeps the weird, wonderful shape that made it famous.
[ Source: Cartier ]
