01DIAL
The Secret Signature
Introduced 1977
A microscopic 'CARTIER' hidden within the Roman numerals, present on every genuine post-1977 dial.
Cartier
Cartier Baignoire
Cartier's oval wristwatch: hand-wound in gold in the 1960s and 1970s, reissued as the Allongée in 1991, and quartz in the 1990s.
History
The Name and the Date
Baignoire is French for bathtub, after the oval shape of the case. In England, Sotheby's notes, the same watch was called the Oval.
The model's date is disputed. Fellows writes that the Baignoire was introduced in 1912, and Monaco Legend that Louis Cartier made an oval wristwatch for Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia in the 1910s.
Sotheby's catalogs put the official launch in 1956 or 1957, and every Baignoire on Archiva dates from about 1960 or later.
The 1960s and 1970s Ovals
Cartier London retailed the oval in three documented sizes, from about 25 × 19 mm to about 36 × 23 mm, in 18k gold and hand-wound on LeCoultre movements. These London Baignoires carry English hallmarks with a date letter and are cataloged by case or stock number rather than a reference; dated examples run from about 1964 to 1974.
The Ref. 7672 is a number printed only by Sotheby's, which sold Oona Chaplin's 31 × 23 mm yellow gold example, a gift from Charlie Chaplin, in December 2023. Its catalog note called the watch a Baignoire Paris; a saleroom notice then corrected it to a Cartier London piece, with hallmarks inside the case and a Jaeger-LeCoultre movement.
The Ref. 78094 is a hand-wound gold oval identified by its reference number rather than by hallmarks: about 22 × 31.5 mm, most often in yellow gold, on the Cartier Cal. 78-1, with dated examples from about 1970 to 1991. Cambi catalogs one as produced in Paris.
The Allongée
From the late 1960s Cartier London also retailed the Baignoire Allongée, the oval drawn out to about 23–24 × 52–53 mm, more than twice as long as it is wide, on a hand-wound Jaeger-LeCoultre movement. Dated examples carry London hallmarks for 1969 and run to about 1976, and each is identified by its case number. Bonhams describes these watches as entirely handmade in Cartier's London workshop.
The Allongée is linked to the Crash: Phillips calls it the muse behind the Crash, and Sotheby's describes the Crash as the Allongée with its sides pinched and its middle kinked.
In 1991 Cartier reissued the Allongée as the Ref. W1507451, a numbered edition of 400 in 18k yellow gold at 23–24 × 52–54 mm on the Cartier Cal. 78-1.
From about 2000 Cartier made a shorter Allongée, 47 mm long and hand-wound on the Cartier Cal. 060 MC: the Ref. 2514 in white gold and the Ref. 2515 in pink gold, which share one series of case numbers ending AF. The Ref. 2605 is the same 47 × 21–22 mm Allongée in 18k yellow gold on a quartz movement, with case numbers ending AF and dated examples from about 1999 to 2005.
The Quartz Baignoire
The Ref. 1954 is the Baignoire of the 1990s and 2000s: a 23 × 31 mm 18k yellow gold oval on the quartz Cartier Cal. 057, with a silvered dial, a sapphire crystal and the hidden Cartier signature at 10 o'clock.
The Ref. 1967 is a smaller quartz oval of the 1990s, 20 × 27–28 mm in 18k yellow gold, cataloged on a gold bracelet of oval links and most often with a diamond-set bezel. Its number is a reference, not a year.
Telling Them Apart
Read the marks inside the case back first: English hallmarks and a London date letter place an oval with Cartier London. Then measure: about 25 × 19 mm, 31–31.5 × 23 mm or 35–36 × 23 mm for the London ovals, about 23–24 × 52–53 mm for the Allongée and 23–24 × 52–54 mm for its 1991 reissue, 47 × 21–21.5 mm for the Allongées of the 2000s, the Refs. 2514 and 2515, and 47 × 21–22 mm for the quartz Ref. 2605, about 22 × 31.5 mm for the hand-wound Ref. 78094, 22.5 × 31 mm for the quartz Ref. 1954 and 20 × 27–28 mm for the quartz Ref. 1967. The movement confirms the era: hand-wound and signed Jaeger-LeCoultre or LeCoultre Co. on the London ovals, the Cartier Cal. 78-1 on the 78094 and the 1991 edition, the Cal. 060 MC on the 2514 and 2515, and quartz on the 1954, 1967 and 2605.
Quintessential Reference
London Baignoire · c. 1964–1974
- Reference
- London Baignoire
- Made for Cartier London, London hallmarks, manual wind
- Year
- c. 1964–1974
- Monaco Legend catalogs one circa 1964 and Fellows one hallmarked London 1965; Sotheby's reads date letters from l (1966–67) to s (1973–74)
- Movement
- Manual
- Cal. 840 or K840, 17 jewels, signed Jaeger-LeCoultre or LeCoultre Co.; a Cal. 845 is also documented
- Case
- 25 × 19 mm to 36 × 23 mm, 18k Yellow Gold (white gold rare)
- Dial
- Cream, silvered or white
- Black Roman numerals, often stretched toward the edge; some dials are signed Cartier London; one white gold example has a black dial
- Hands
- Blued steel
- Baton or sword-shaped
- Crystal
- Glass
- Type not stated in the catalogs consulted
- Strap
- Leather
- Fitted under hooded lugs, with an 18k gold Cartier deployant clasp, on some examples hallmarked and numbered to match the case; others are on Cartier gold bracelets
The London Baignoire is the 18k gold oval retailed by Cartier London c. 1964–1974, hand-wound on the LeCoultre Cal. 840 or K840 and identified by its London hallmarks rather than a reference number. Three sizes are documented, from about 25 × 19 mm to 36 × 23 mm, most often in yellow gold with a cream, silvered or white dial.
Other Known References
10 documented references across 3 eras
Post-War & Transition1946–19631 ref
| Reference | |
|---|---|
 | Ref. 767218k Yellow Gold · Manual-wind |
Reunion & Democratization1964–19924 refs
| Reference | |
|---|---|
| Ref. 7809418k Yellow Gold · Manual-wind | |
| Baignoire Allongée18k gold (primarily yellow gold) · Manual-wind | |
 | London Baignoire18k Yellow Gold (white gold rare) · Manual |
| Ref. W150745118k Yellow Gold · Manual |
Modern Manufacture1993–20015 refs
| Reference | |
|---|---|
 | Ref. 195418k Yellow Gold · Quartz |
| Ref. 196718k Yellow Gold · Quartz | |
| Ref. 251418k White Gold · Manual-wind | |
| Ref. 251518k Pink Gold · Manual-wind | |
| Ref. 260518k Yellow Gold · Quartz |
What is a Cartier Baignoire worth?
Choose your reference, set its condition, and see what it's likely to bring. Each estimate uses sales of that exact reference where there are enough of them.
Very good
Needs workFairVery goodExcellentExceptional
The typical public example: light wear, original-looking dial, runs well. This is the baseline.
Estimated market value
$11,050
Likely range $9,950 to $12,150
Median of 5 sales of Ref. 78094, Nov 2023 to Nov 2026.
Median $11,050
Condition: Very good ×1.00
What a dealer would likely pay$8,300 to $9,400Dealers buying to resell usually pay 75 to 85% of market value.
Market value is what watches like this sell for publicly, fees included. A dealer buying to resell pays less, because they carry the cost and risk of the resale.
From November 2025 to September 2026, 5 counted sales of Ref. 78094 ran from $5,900 to $16,300, with a middle price of $11,050. The most recent was $16,300 at Sotheby's Hong Kong in September 2026.
See all 7 sales of Ref. 78094: 5 counted, 2 not
| Date | Ref. | Where | Details | Counts as | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 78094 | Sotheby's Hong Kong (via EveryWatch)Auction | 18k yellow gold. | This reference | $16,320 |
| Jun 2026 | 78094 | Osenat (via EveryWatch)Auction | 18k yellow gold. | This reference | $13,058 |
| Dec 2025 | 78094 | FinarteAuction | Fine Watches, Milan, lot 9, 15 Dec 2025. 32 x 23 mm, 18k gold, hand-winding, 1980s, case no. 4483, Cartier strap with rose gold deployant buckle. Finarte: the price includes buyer premium. | This reference | EUR 9,450≈ $11,050 |
| Dec 2025 | 78094 | FinarteAuction | Fine Watches, Milan, lot 103, 15 Dec 2025. 32 x 23 mm, 18k gold, hand-winding, 1980s, case no. 5623, leather strap. Finarte: the price includes buyer premium. | This reference | EUR 5,040≈ $5,900 |
| Nov 2025 | 78094 | DorotheumAuction | 18k 22 mm manual (ETA 2512 base), c.1978, white Roman dial, very good, gold deployant | This reference | €7,800≈ $9,000 |
| Dec 2024 | 78094 | Koller | A211 Wristwatches & Pocketwatches, lot 2803, 3 Dec 2024. Case no. 780940054 J (no reference printed; read from the case number, size, metal and movement matching), dated 1977: 31.5 x 22.5 mm, yellow gold 750 with a diamond bezel, manual wind, white dial with Roman numerals, Cartier crocodile strap with original gold folding clasp. 'Sold for CHF 10 625 (including buyer's premium)'. | Not countedDiamond bezel; the catalog does not say whether Cartier set the stones | CHF 10,625≈ $12,000 |
| Oct 2023 | 78094 | Bonhams Paris | Avenue Hoche, lot 59, 18 Oct 2023. Ref. 78094, No. 4292, circa 1990: 22 x 31 mm, 18k yellow gold with two rows of diamonds on the bezel, 17-jewel Cal. 2512-1 manual wind, silvered dial with black Roman numerals, Must de Cartier strap with signed 18k gold folding clasp. 'Sold for €7,040 inc. premium'. | Not countedDiamond-set bezel; the catalog does not say whether Cartier set the stones | €7,040≈ $7,450 |
Sales from November 2023 to November 2026, or from the last five years for a reference with fewer than three in that time. Only sales that name a reference count toward its estimate; sales of the rest of its version are shown for comparison and never folded in. Auction prices include the buyer's premium unless a row says hammer; dealer prices are the price at sale. Currency figures are converted near the sale date; Dorotheum figures include its premium and VAT. EveryWatch does not say whether its figures include the premium. Rows via EveryWatch, Collector Square or lot-art come from those indexes and should be confirmed at the auction house. The condition and option adjustments, the expected bid (75 to 85% of market value) and the auction range (62 to 72%) are working assumptions, to be replaced by Archiva's own bids as they come in. A sale far above or below the other sales of its reference is listed but not counted, so one unusual result can't pull the estimate. An estimate from public results, not an appraisal.
Collector's Corner
What every buyer, inheritor, and first-time collector should know.
Buying Guide
02CASE
Case Back Hallmarks
Varies by origin and era
A Cartier case carries the Cartier signature, a reference and serial number on later pieces, and small struck marks for the metal and the case maker. Which marks appear depends on where the case was made: an eagle's head on Paris gold, JC and a date letter on London cases, the Helvetia head on Swiss 18k before 1995. The hallmarks guide shows what each one means.
03MOVEMENT
Movement Sourcing
Varies by era and model
Cartier sourced movements from various Swiss manufacturers throughout history, including Jaeger-LeCoultre, Frédéric Piguet, ETA, and in-house production. Knowing the correct caliber for a specific reference is essential for identifying the watch and establishing provenance.
04CROWN
Crown Sapphire Cabochon
A Cartier hallmark since the early 20th century
The blue sapphire (or spinel on less precious models) cabochon crown is a Cartier signature. Original crowns show consistent color saturation and are set flush with the crown body. Replacements often show misalignment or incorrect stone dimensions that reveal themselves under magnification.
05BRACELET
Bracelet and Clasp Markings
Check the clasp first
Cartier bracelets carry their own reference markings and the deployment clasp should bear the Cartier name and logo. Aftermarket bracelets are extremely common on vintage pieces, so checking that the clasp is original and that reference numbers match is crucial to the overall picture.
06DIAL
Dial Aging and Patina
Patina tells the story
Vintage Cartier dials develop characteristic aging: cream dials warm to ivory, lacquer dials may develop fine crazing, and applied indices can show legible wear patterns. Understanding acceptable versus concerning dial aging is key to valuing a vintage piece accurately.
Questions collectors ask
Direct answers about the Cartier Baignoire, drawn from the reference records below.
What is a Cartier Baignoire worth?
- Public auction and dealer results from November 2023 to November 2026 put the 18k gold quartz 1990s (Ref. 1954) at $6,750 to $10,000, median $7,600 across 4 sales; the 18k gold manual-wind paris or swiss 1950s–80s (Ref. 78094) at $9,000 to $13,050, median $11,050 across 5 sales; the 18k gold manual-wind cartier london 1960s–70s at $27,100 to $43,550, median $33,600 across 4 sales; the baignoire allongée cartier london 1960s–70s at $144,500 to $244,000, median $179,600 across 5 sales; the baignoire allongée paris 1990s–2000s (manual or quartz) (Ref. 2515, 2514) at $26,150 to $36,000, median $31,000 across 6 sales; and the baignoire allongée 1991 edition of 400 18k yellow gold (23 x 54 mm) manual wind (Ref. W1507451) at $44,850 to $51,050, median $46,750 across 4 sales. Condition, a recent Cartier service, and the original box and papers move an individual watch within or beyond these ranges, and the calculator on this page adjusts for each.
How much will a dealer pay for a Cartier Baignoire?
- Dealers buying to resell usually bid about 75 to 85% of public market value, because they carry the cost and risk of the resale. For a baignoire allongée paris 1990s–2000s (manual or quartz) Cartier Baignoire at the recent median of $31,000, that suggests bids of roughly $23,250 to $26,350. Archiva is opening a panel of specialist dealers who bid blind, with the seller keeping the whole winning bid.
How do I tell which Baignoire I have?
- Start with the marks inside the case back and the proportions. An 18k gold oval with English hallmarks and a London date letter, from about 25 × 19 mm to 36 × 23 mm, is a London Baignoire of about 1964 to 1974, cataloged by case or stock number rather than a reference. A stretched case of about 23–24 × 52–53 mm is the Baignoire Allongée of the late 1960s and 1970s; its 1991 reissue is the numbered Ref. W1507451, 23–24 × 52–54 mm on the Cartier Cal. 78-1. A shorter Allongée of 47 × 21–21.5 mm, hand-wound on the Cartier Cal. 060 MC, is the Ref. 2514 in white gold or the Ref. 2515 in pink gold, made from about 2000; the same 47 mm Allongée in 18k yellow gold on a quartz movement is the Ref. 2605 of about 1999 to 2005. A hand-wound gold oval of about 22 × 31.5 mm with a case number beginning 78094 is the Ref. 78094 of about 1970 to 1991, on the Cartier Cal. 78-1. A 22.5 × 31 mm quartz oval with a sapphire crystal and the hidden signature at 10 o'clock is the Ref. 1954 of the 1990s and 2000s, and a smaller 20 × 27–28 mm yellow gold quartz oval on an oval-link gold bracelet, often with a diamond-set bezel, is the Ref. 1967 of the 1990s. The number 7672 appears only at Sotheby's, on Oona Chaplin's 31 × 23 mm oval.
What does Baignoire mean?
- Bathtub, in French, after the oval shape of the case. The model's date is disputed: Fellows says it was introduced in 1912, while Sotheby's catalogs give its official launch as 1956 or 1957.
Is the Baignoire quartz or mechanical?
- Both, depending on the reference. The London ovals of the 1960s and 1970s, the Ref. 7672, the London Baignoire and the Allongée, are hand-wound on movements signed Jaeger-LeCoultre or LeCoultre Co. The Ref. 78094 of about 1970 to 1991 and the 1991 Allongée edition, the Ref. W1507451, are hand-wound on the Cartier Cal. 78-1, and the Refs. 2514 and 2515, Allongées of the 2000s, on the Cartier Cal. 060 MC. The Ref. 1954 of the 1990s and 2000s is quartz, on the Cartier Cal. 057, as are the Ref. 1967 of the 1990s and the yellow gold Allongée Ref. 2605 of about 1999 to 2005.
What is the Baignoire Allongée?
- A stretched Baignoire retailed by Cartier London from the late 1960s: an 18k gold oval of about 23–24 × 52–53 mm, hand-wound on a Jaeger-LeCoultre movement. Dated examples carry London hallmarks for 1969 and run to about 1976, and each is identified by its case number rather than a reference. It is not the Maxi Oval, which Phillips catalogs as a larger watch of 58 × 32 mm. From about 2000 Cartier made a shorter Allongée of 47 mm on the Cal. 060 MC, the Refs. 2514 in white gold and 2515 in pink gold, and a quartz version in yellow gold, the Ref. 2605.
What should I check before buying a Baignoire?
- Sight along the oval for dents, flat spots and heavy polishing. Read the marks inside the case back: on London pieces, the date letter, the JC punch mark and a stock number that may be repeated on the clasp. The dial should have crisp Roman numerals, the cabochon crown should be intact, and the movement should match the reference: signed Jaeger-LeCoultre or LeCoultre Co. on the London ovals of the 1960s and 1970s, the Cartier Cal. 78-1 on the Ref. 78094 and the 1991 Allongée, the Cal. 060 MC on the Refs. 2514 and 2515 and quartz on the Refs. 1954, 1967 and 2605.
