Much like a lot of Cartier’s catalog, the Cartier Pasha has a long and storied history. According to legend, the Pasha was supposedly conceived by Louis Cartier for The Pasha of Marrakesh, Thami El Glaoui, in the early 1930s. As the story goes, The Pasha ordered a one-of-a-kind gold watch that could keep pace with his active lifestyle and boasted a level of water resistance that was uncommon at the time. Cartier’s answer was the Pasha; a large timepiece with a screw-down crown cover and metal grid that protected its dial. During the Quartz Crisis, Cartier reached out to Gerald Genta in 1985, of Royal Oak and Nautilus fame, to design a precious metal luxury sports watch that could capitalize on the growing market for such watches, like the gold Submariner at the time. Genta’s design was the Cartier Pasha as we know it today. It is a sizeable masculine timepiece with a sporty bezel, a unique screw-down crown cover, a clean dial, and its now-iconic Vendome lugs. The variant we have here is the ref. 2353 with a stunning salmon dial, that features the Pasha's signature 3-6-9-12 applied Breguet numerals and diamond index hour markers marking the other hours, which combine to give the watch a beautifully luxurious aesthetic and feel on the wrist. Featuring Cartier’s rosette guilloche engravings, this example’s dial is a stunning example of Cartier’s craftsmanship, just like its 18kt white gold case, which adds some luxurious heft to the Pasha’s construction. Perfectly sized at 38mm in diameter and boasting the Pasha’s atypical design, this example is a perfect example of everything that makes Cartier so special.

Watch is in excellent overall condition. There are superficial scratches and dings along the surface of the watch, visible predominately along the caseback and bezel. Dial is near-mint showing no visible flaws. Caseback engravings are full and legible. Strap is aftermarket, but the original deployment buckle is included.

A wonderfully attractive watch that pulls on the heartstrings of Cartier collectors, the Pasha breaks from aesthetic norms and celebrates Cartier's willingness to do new things.