Time, in sync
Résonance
FP Journe
The Crash is the 1967 brainchild of Jean-Jacques Cartier’s London boutique. At the time, Cartier London operated independently from the Paris and New York branches, which gave it the freedom to experiment. Creating watches by hand in a small workshop, the London team took Cartier’s clear design ethos and reimagined it with a surrealist twist that mirrored the mood of the Swinging Sixties.
The distorted, melted form of the Crash was derived from the elongated Baignoire Allongée, another London creation. It was bold, irreverent, and entirely unlike anything else on the market. Only a handful were made, which meant the Crash remained a cult object for decades, quietly admired by design insiders and collectors.
In recent years, that once-underground, too-wild status has shifted into global recognition. Vintage examples have broken records at auction, while modern reissues are offered only to the brand’s best clients. What began as an eccentric London oddity has become one of Cartier’s most iconic and sought-after creations.