Cartier · Cristallor

Cristallor Jumbo, 18k Gold

Ref. 78096c. 1973–early 1980s

The Cartier Cristallor Ref. 78096 is the Jumbo Cristallor: a 28 × 35 mm 18k yellow or white gold case with a three-tiered stepped bezel, hand-wound on the Cartier Cal. 78-1, made c. 1973–early 1980s for the Louis Cartier Collection.

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Specifications

Reference
78096
Jumbo (large model), 18k gold, manual wind
Year
c. 1973–early 1980s
Craft + Tailored dates the launch to the 1973 Louis Cartier Collection and Monaco Legend to the early 1970s; Sotheby's and Aguttes catalog examples circa 1970 and Phillips circa 1975; production is believed to have ended by the early 1980s
Movement
Manual-wind
Cartier Cal. 78-1, 17 jewels; Monaco Legend catalogs one example as cal. 2512
Case
28 × 35 mm, 18k Yellow Gold or 18k White Gold
Rectangle with canted corners, three-tiered stepped bezel, hidden lugs
Dial
White
Lacquered, black Roman numerals and minute track, signed Paris; one dial signed SWISS is documented
Hands
Blued steel
Sword-shaped
Crystal
Mineral glass
Stated by Amsterdam Watch Company; the auction catalogs consulted do not give the type
Strap
Leather
18k gold Cartier deployant clasp or tang buckle in the case metal

Visual Description

The Ref. 78096 is the large Cristallor, a 28 × 35 mm case about 6 mm thick. Its rectangle has canted corners that give it an octagonal outline, the bezel steps down to the dial in three tiers, and the lugs are hidden beneath the case. Sotheby's and Monaco Legend both catalog it at 28 × 35 mm.

The dial is white lacquer with black Roman numerals and a minute track, signed Paris, with blued steel sword hands. The beaded crown carries a blue cabochon and the back is held by four screws. Most examples are 18k yellow gold and a few are 18k white gold. They come on leather straps with an 18k gold Cartier deployant clasp or tang buckle.

Reference Significance

The 78096 is the Cristallor in its larger size, which is why Sotheby's and Monaco Legend catalog it as the Cristallor Jumbo. At 28 × 35 mm it is 4 mm wider and 5 mm longer than the Ref. 78095.

Where its 1973 siblings the Vendôme and the Fabergé use round and curved forms, the Cristallor is built from flat facets and steps. The white gold version is the rare one: Phillips found no more than a handful of white gold examples on the market.

Historical Context

The Cristallor was introduced with the Louis Cartier Collection in 1973. Craft + Tailored writes that it arrived alongside the Gondole, the Ellipse and the Vendôme, and that it was made only until the very early 1980s.

Catalog dates fit that window only loosely: Sotheby's dates one example to circa 1970, a few years before the collection's launch, and Phillips a white gold example to circa 1975. Production was small: one auction house estimates from serial numbers that fewer than 1,000 Cristallors were made, and some examples still surface with their original Cartier warranty, box and hang tag.

What to Look For

Start with the bezel. The three tiers should have crisp edges, because polishing softens the steps and cannot be reversed. Wind Vintage singles out an unpolished case, which is the condition to look for.

Turn the watch over. Phillips and Aguttes record case numbers that begin with the reference and continue with the serial (780960345 and 780960105). One example has been offered with the numbers G24314 and 0471 instead, so a case without the 78096 prefix calls for a careful look at the movement and dial rather than an immediate rejection. The movement should be the hand-wound Cal. 78-1 signed Cartier; a quartz movement is not original.

On the dial, expect white lacquer signed Paris. Fine cracks in the lacquer come with age, while heavy or uneven printing suggests a refinished dial. A dial signed SWISS has also been documented and described as original. The clasp should be an 18k gold Cartier deployant or tang buckle in the case metal.

Known Variants

Documented dial, case, and bracelet variations of Ref. 78096.

18k Yellow Gold, Paris Dial

White lacquer dial with black Roman numerals, signed Paris, blued steel sword hands and a blue cabochon crown. The configuration cataloged by Sotheby's and Monaco Legend and offered by Craft + Tailored.

c. 1973–early 1980sThe most often documented configuration

18k Yellow Gold, SWISS Dial

The same case and movement with a white dial signed SWISS instead of Paris, described by Loupe This as the original dial.

1970sOne example documented

18k White Gold

White gold case, usually on an 18k white gold Cartier deployant clasp. Phillips sold one with case number 780960345 and Aguttes one numbered 780960105.

c. 1970–1975Very rare; Phillips found no more than a handful on the market

How to tell it apart

What separates a Ref. 78096 from its neighbors, and what to check before you buy or sell one.

What is the Cartier Cristallor Ref. 78096?

The large Cristallor, cataloged as the Cristallor Jumbo by Sotheby's and Monaco Legend: a 28 × 35 mm 18k yellow or white gold case with a three-tiered stepped bezel and hidden lugs, a white Paris dial with black Roman numerals, blued steel sword hands, a blue cabochon crown and the hand-wound Cartier Cal. 78-1 with 17 jewels. It dates from c. 1973 to the early 1980s.

How do I tell a 78096 from the smaller Cristallor Ref. 78095?

By size and by the number on the case back. The 78096 is 28 × 35 mm; Monaco Legend catalogs the 78095 at 24 × 30 mm. Both have the three-tiered case, so measure rather than judging by eye, and read the reference at the start of the case number.

What movement is in the 78096?

The hand-wound Cartier Cal. 78-1 with 17 jewels, recorded by Sotheby's, Monaco Legend and Loupe This; Phillips lists it as cal. 78. Monaco Legend catalogs one example's movement as cal. 2512. A quartz or automatic movement is not original.

Was the 78096 made in white gold?

Yes, rarely. Phillips sold one with case number 780960345 and a white gold Cartier deployant clasp, Aguttes one numbered 780960105, and Amsterdam Watch Company has offered another. Phillips found no more than a handful of white gold examples on the market.

Why is the 78096 called the Cristallor?

Sotheby's writes that the faceted, multi-angled case of the 78096 creates a jewel-like effect, and that this aesthetic gives the Cristallor its name.

What should I check before buying a 78096?

Crisp, unpolished steps on the bezel; a case number that begins with 78096, or if not, a movement and dial that stand up to close inspection; a hand-wound Cal. 78-1 signed Cartier; a white lacquer dial signed Paris without signs of refinishing; and an 18k gold Cartier clasp or buckle in the case metal. A Cartier warranty, box or hang tag, which have survived with some examples, adds to the watch's story.
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