It’s hard to say that Cartier watches are having a moment because, well, it’s been having a moment for more than a century. But if Paul Mescal and the red carpets at Cannes and more recently at Goodwood's Festival of Speed are anything to go by – a sort of satin lapel litmus test for a brand’s relevance – then few are having as much of an impact as the Paris house that is a byword for the best dress watches around.
Indeed Mescal, Cartier's latest (in a long line of prestigious names) wrist model de jour, was spotted wearing the new Collection Privé Cartier Tank Chinoise watch, that debuted at Watches and Wonders earlier this year. As a judge for the Cartier Style et Luxe at Goodwood, he looked every bit the winner in a well-fitted polo that allowed maximum exposure of this beautifully eccentric Tank.
Earlier in the year at Cannes, for his latest project Paul Mescal debuted a new moustache and another of the hottest watch launches of the year: Cartier’s iconic and updated Pasha de Cartier Grille. An immediately distinctive piece that was first launched in 1985, it was named after the Pasha El Glaoui of Marrakesh, a loyal Cartier client. A square inside of the circle and large Arabic numerals sets it apart from other watch designs, however the new edition that we first saw at Watches and Wonder features a removable grill with a gold 40mm case, alligator strap and, yes, OK, a quartz movement. But look at how beautiful it is.
“It’s not something I ever anticipated for myself, but here we are, in Cannes announcing an ambassadorship with Cartier,” Mescal told Vogue of his new gig as the face of a luxury house. "It doesn’t feel very real at the moment.” But real it is Paul. He also rocked a more traditional Santos for the premiere of the film Aftersun, which everyone is saying is really good. Well done, Paul.
While he might be the official face and wrist of the brand, Mescal aside, Cartier is still red (pink) hot. At the Tony awards Jake Gyllenhaal paired his custom pepto-bismol tuxedo with a lovely Cartier Santos-Dumont in 18-k rose gold with a grey alligator strap, while at the Oscars he went with a Cartier Privé Tank Chinoise in 18k yellow gold. Tom Hiddleston, another noted collector, owns (at least), a Cartier Santos-Dumont in 18-carat rose gold and steel with black leather strap and a Drive de Cartier. Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Rami Malek and Taika Waititi are all Cartier watch fans. I’m sure there are others, too, like Mr Elvis, Austin Butler too.
Why Cartier? In recent years there’s been a trend away from bulky sport watches that weight less than a feather and can handle both a JCB tyre over them and a little day trip to the Mariana Trench. 38mm and below is the way to go! Cartier is synonymous with elegance, discretion and a very Parisian sort of subtle ostentation. It makes watches that look beautiful with a Tom Ford tux and, à la Kanye and Tyler’s Cartier Crashes, with t-shirts, mohair cardigans and giant Balenciaga leather jackets. They are heirloom watches that don’t really try to change too much. You can’t wear them to the Amazon, or shoot them out of a cannon. They’re just beautiful dress watches with classic design. Great in 1917 (when the Tank first launched) and today. Worn by Ali, Princess Diana and Michael Douglas in Wall Street (his was a Santos to be fair). An original London Crash went for £800,000 at a Sotheby’s auction in October of last year, compounding the fervour around mint condition Tanks and Crash models. If you can find a Tank with an automatic movement in decent nick… I’d buy it.
And with the steady trickle of revamped classics and ultra rare Privé range worn by the best-dressed men in Hollywood and beyond, the hype won’t be abetting anytime time soon.
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