Famed for their iconic collections and classical styling, French jeweller and watchmaker Cartier hold a vital position within the horology industry. However, one such collection that flies under the radar is the Ceinture, first launched in 1927 but reintroduced to Cartier's line-up in the early 1970s, around 1973. First offered in two case sizes, 25mm and 27mm, until a larger 31mm variant was introduced, the Ceinture is a dynamic timepiece known for its unique twist on the Tank’s design. Powered by the manual wind cal. 78.1 movement, the Ceinture that we have here is a wonderful twist on Cartier’s signature design language. Housed within a platinum case, this 25mm variant is admittedly understated and thus flies under the radar as a watch that only those in the know would appreciate. In keeping with this ethos, this example also boasts a white rosette-textured dial with red Roman numerals and dial inscriptions, which is a large departure from Cartier’s typical use of black Roman numerals and dial inscriptions, thus providing the timepiece with a unique aesthetic. Of course, the Ceinture's most distinctive element has always been its unusual octagonal case. Somewhat reminiscent of a belt's buckle ('ceinture' means 'belt' in French afterall), the Ceinture resembles a square that has had its corners cut, which in turn allows the watch to wear more prominently on the wrist than one would assume judging solely on its rather svelte proportions. With its deep-stepped bezel design, the Ceinture is truly an interesting timepiece on the wrist. Feeding into this intrigue is the Ceinture's octagonal crown, which sits within its case and acts as an extension of the stepped bezel. Cartier also decided to forgo their signature sapphire cabochon crown so that the Ceinture's crown could sit within the bezel, a feature that Cartier calls "remontoir imperdable" (captive winding).

Watch is in excellent overall condition. Case shows some surface wear, but engravings on caseback are sharp legible, including the platinum hallmarks. The unusual guilloche dial with red print is in excellent condition, showing only light signs of wear on the edges. The watch comes with an original cartier tang buckle made of platinum.

Blending Cartier's classical design language with a unique case shape, the Ceinture merges the Tank's elegant rectangular design with the Santos Dumont's angular construction in what is an abundantly clear expression of their renowned free-thinking creativity. Taking that creativity even further than normal Ceinture variants, this example's unique dial design and platinum construction marks its place in Cartier's catalog as truly special.