1980s Cartier Baignoire 18K YG (Ref. 78094)

The Cartier name is synonymous with luxury and has been since the brand's inception in 1847. Offering bespoke and unique jewelry to the world’s elite allowed Cartier to grow steadily through the 19th century and eventually introduced new offerings to their clientele.

The fascinating history of the Cartier Baignoire, which directly translates to "bathtub" in English, dates back to 1912 when Louis Cartier designed the watch for and gifted it to the Russian Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, who was one of Cartier's top clients at the time. However, at this time the design was simply referred to as an "Oval Wristwatch" and was officially named the "Baignoire" in the 1970s. The 'bathtub' design was reborn in the 1950s through Cartiers London branch, though the London Maison would go on to further expand design through the Allongée and Maxi Oval versions of the Baignoire. It's said that the iconic Cartier Crash design is actually a reworking of a Baignoire Allongée. Throughout history, the classic Baignoire has been seen on the wrist of many notable figures including, George Harrison of the Beatles and famed actress Catherine Deneuve, though in recent years the unique oval-shaped wristwatch has captured pop-culture status and can be seen on countless prominent celebrities wrists.