What is the Cartier Coussin Bamboo?

A cushion-shaped Cartier wristwatch of the 1970s whose gold bezel and lugs are grooved like bamboo stalks. Phillips dates its introduction to around 1973, in the Louis Cartier Collection. It came in two sizes; the larger, the Jumbo, is the Ref. 78102, about 28.5 × 36 mm in 18k gold on the hand-wound Cartier Cal. 78-1.

When was the Coussin Bamboo made?

Phillips and Sotheby's both place its introduction in the Louis Cartier Collection of 1973, and the examples Phillips has sold are dated circa 1978 and to the 1970s. No source we opened gives an end date, so Archiva dates the Ref. 78102 c. 1973 to the late 1970s.

How rare is the Coussin Bamboo?

Very. Phillips writes that around 250 of the Jumbo were produced, according to current scholarship, and counts only about a dozen yellow gold examples and a single white gold example seen at auction.

What should I check before buying a Coussin Bamboo?

Sharp, even bamboo grooves on the bezel and lugs, since polishing softens them first; the four case-back screws; a case number that pairs the reference with a serial; a white dial signed Paris with black Roman numerals and a chemin de fer track; and the hand-wound Cartier Cal. 78-1. Measure the case too: a Jumbo is about 28.5 × 36 mm.

Cartier

Coussin Bamboo

A cushion-shaped Cartier of the 1970s whose gold bezel and lugs are grooved like bamboo, introduced around 1973 in the Louis Cartier Collection and made in small numbers.

View references Collector's Corner

History

A Cushion Carved Like Bamboo

The Coussin Bamboo joins two ideas in one case. The shape is a coussin, French for cushion: a softly squared form. The bamboo is in the gold. The bezel and lugs are grooved into regular segments that read like bamboo stalks, so the case looks carved rather than simply polished, and the ridges catch the light as the wrist turns.

Against all that texture the dial stays quiet. It is white and signed Cartier Paris, with black Roman numerals, a chemin de fer minute track and slender blued steel hands, and the beaded crown is capped with a sapphire cabochon. The two-part case is closed by four screws on the back, and the movement is the hand-wound Cartier Cal. 78-1.

The Louis Cartier Collection of 1973

Phillips and Sotheby's both place the Coussin Bamboo's introduction in the Louis Cartier Collection of 1973, the same collection that launched the gold Vendôme. It belongs to the decade when Cartier's Paris, London and New York houses were being brought back together, and its dial carries the Paris signature.

The bamboo motif was not new to Cartier's watches. Sotheby's, cataloging a rectangular Cartier Bamboo of about 1968 with bamboo-style brancards, suggests that watch may have served as inspiration for the Coussin Bamboo, which carried the idea from a rectangular case to a cushion.

Two Sizes, One Jumbo

Phillips writes that the model came in two sizes, each offered in 18k yellow or white gold, with the larger size on 18k folding clasps and the smaller on gold buckles. The larger is the Jumbo, Ref. 78102, at about 28.5 × 36 mm, a big watch by the standards of 1970s Cartier. The reference number of the smaller size is not documented in the sources consulted for this page.

Production was small. Phillips puts the number of Jumbos at around 250, citing current scholarship, and the four-digit serials on the examples it has sold, from 0118 to 0279, are consistent with that figure. Examples are dated to the 1970s, two of them to circa 1978, and at least one was retailed through Cartier New York.

The Coussin Bamboo Today

For a long time the Coussin Bamboo was a specialist's watch, known to few collectors outside Cartier circles. That has changed, and the watch now appears at the major sales: Phillips has offered three Jumbos since June 2025, in New York, Hong Kong and Geneva.

Supply is the constraint. By Phillips' count only about a dozen yellow gold Jumbos and a single white gold one have been seen at auction, so each appearance draws the attention of collectors who follow Cartier's shaped watches of the 1960s and 1970s.

Quintessential Reference

Ref. 78102 · c. 1973–late 1970s

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Reference: 78102; Jumbo, 18k yellow gold, manual wind
Year: c. 1973–late 1970s; Phillips dates the model's introduction to around 1973, in the Louis Cartier Collection, and catalogs examples circa 1978 and to the 1970s; no source gives an end date
Movement: Manual-wind; Cartier Cal. 78-1, 17 jewels
Case: 28.5 × 36 mm, 18k Yellow Gold
Dial: White; Signed Cartier Paris, black Roman numerals and a chemin de fer minute track
Hands: Blued steel; Sword-shaped
Crystal: Not documented; Not stated in the Phillips, Loupe This or Amsterdam Vintage Watches descriptions consulted
Strap: Leather; 18k yellow gold Cartier deployant clasp; some examples sold with an 18k gold Cartier tang buckle

The Jumbo Ref. 78102, the larger of the Coussin Bamboo's two sizes: an 18k yellow gold cushion case of about 28.5 × 36 mm with bamboo-grooved bezel and lugs, a white dial signed Paris with black Roman numerals, and the hand-wound Cartier Cal. 78-1. Phillips puts production at around 250 pieces and counts only about a dozen yellow gold examples seen at auction.

Other Known References

1 documented reference across 1 era

Reunion & Democratization1964–1992

1 ref

	Reference	Case Material	Movement	Case Size	Dial	Crystal
	Ref. 7810218k Yellow Gold · Manual-wind	18k Yellow Gold	Manual-wind	28.5 × 36 mm	White	Not documented

Collector's Corner

What every buyer, inheritor, and first-time collector should know.

Buying Guide

01DIAL

The Secret Signature

Introduced 1977

A microscopic 'CARTIER' hidden within the Roman numerals — present on every genuine post-1977 dial.

02CASE

Case Back Hallmarks

Varies by era

Genuine Cartier cases bear specific hallmarks including the Cartier name, reference number, serial number, and precious metal assay marks. Placement and style varies by era, with earlier pieces showing different hallmark configurations than modern examples.

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 verifying clasp authenticity and matching reference numbers 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 authentically.

Questions collectors ask

Direct answers about the Cartier Coussin Bamboo, drawn from the reference records below.

What is the Cartier Coussin Bamboo?: A cushion-shaped Cartier wristwatch of the 1970s whose gold bezel and lugs are grooved like bamboo stalks. Phillips dates its introduction to around 1973, in the Louis Cartier Collection. It came in two sizes; the larger, the Jumbo, is the Ref. 78102, about 28.5 × 36 mm in 18k gold on the hand-wound Cartier Cal. 78-1.
When was the Coussin Bamboo made?: Phillips and Sotheby's both place its introduction in the Louis Cartier Collection of 1973, and the examples Phillips has sold are dated circa 1978 and to the 1970s. No source we opened gives an end date, so Archiva dates the Ref. 78102 c. 1973 to the late 1970s.
How rare is the Coussin Bamboo?: Very. Phillips writes that around 250 of the Jumbo were produced, according to current scholarship, and counts only about a dozen yellow gold examples and a single white gold example seen at auction.
What sizes and metals were made?: Two sizes, according to Phillips, each offered in 18k yellow or white gold. The Jumbo, Ref. 78102, measures about 28.5 × 36 mm; the reference number of the smaller size is not documented in the sources we opened. Phillips notes that the larger size came with 18k folding clasps and the smaller with gold buckles.
Is the Coussin Bamboo related to Cartier's earlier Bamboo watch?: Possibly. Sotheby's, cataloging a rectangular Cartier Bamboo of about 1968 with bamboo-style brancards, suggests that watch may have served as inspiration for the Coussin Bamboo introduced in the Louis Cartier Collection of 1973.
What should I check before buying a Coussin Bamboo?: Sharp, even bamboo grooves on the bezel and lugs, since polishing softens them first; the four case-back screws; a case number that pairs the reference with a serial; a white dial signed Paris with black Roman numerals and a chemin de fer track; and the hand-wound Cartier Cal. 78-1. Measure the case too: a Jumbo is about 28.5 × 36 mm.

Next Steps

INHERITOR