What is the Cartier Pebble?

A round 18k gold watch with a square dial, designed and made by Cartier London in the early 1970s and hand-wound on a Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber. Bonhams and Phillips have each sold one with hallmarks for 1972, at 35 mm and 35.5 mm. It has no reference number; Archiva documents it as the [London Pebble](/cartier/pebble/ref-london).

Why is it called the Baseball?

Bonhams writes that the watch is called the Pebble, or in the United States the Baseball, and Phillips cataloged one under the title Baseball, noting that it is nicknamed The Pebble or Baseball because of its appearance.

How rare is the Pebble?

Phillips writes that research suggests around six examples were made, and Bonhams that only a handful of pieces are known. The-cartiers.com writes that only six large-size examples are believed to exist and that Pebbles were made in two sizes, for men and women.

Are other Cartier watches called the Pebble?

Yes. Sotheby's has cataloged two Cartier watches of the 1940s as the Pebble: a 26 mm example of about 1948 and a 24 mm example of about 1945 retailed in New York, both in yellow gold on LeCoultre movements. They are smaller, earlier watches with French and American markings, not London hallmarks. Cartier also reissued the Pebble in 2022 as a limited edition of 150.

What should I check before buying a Pebble?

The London hallmarks and date letter, the JC punch mark and the case number inside the case back; the same number on the gold deployant clasp; a hand-wound Jaeger-LeCoultre movement, which Bonhams records as the Cal. P838; and a case whose lines have not been softened by polishing.

Cartier

Pebble

Cartier London's round gold watch with a square dial, made in the early 1970s and nicknamed the Baseball in the United States.

View references Collector's Corner

History

Cartier London

In the 1960s and 1970s Cartier's London branch designed and made watches of its own, among them the Crash of 1967 and the London Baignoire. The Pebble is one of the rarest. Bonhams writes that Cartier London designed the watch that bears the nickname Pebble, called the Baseball in the United States, and the-cartiers.com credits it to the London house under Jean-Jacques Cartier, with the case made by hand at the Wright & Davies workshop in Clerkenwell.

The Design

The Pebble sets a square dial in a round, softly rounded gold case. Phillips calls it a contrast between the circle of the case and the square of the dial, and Bonhams a square within a circle. Documented examples are 18k yellow gold, 35 to 35.5 mm, with hooded lugs, a cabochon-set crown and a gold deployant clasp numbered to match the case.

How Many Were Made

No source gives an exact count. Phillips writes that research suggests around six were made and that the model is in Cartier's heritage collection; Bonhams writes that only a handful are known. The-cartiers.com dates known examples by their London hallmarks from 1972 to 1975 and writes that they came in two sizes.

At Auction

Phillips sold case number 1402, hallmarked for 1972, in Geneva in May 2021, and Bonhams sold case number 1270, also hallmarked for 1972 and offered by its original owner, in London in December 2022. Both are hand-wound: Bonhams catalogs the Jaeger-LeCoultre Cal. P838, and Phillips a movement with 18 jewels.

The Name Elsewhere

Sotheby's has used the name Pebble for two earlier Cartier watches of the 1940s, 24 and 26 mm, with LeCoultre movements and European Watch & Clock Co. markings. They are different watches from the London Pebble. In 2022, for the fiftieth anniversary of the 1972 model, Cartier issued a limited edition of 150 on the hand-wound 430 MC; it is a modern watch outside Archiva's scope.

Quintessential Reference

London Pebble · c. 1972–1975

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Reference: London Pebble; Made by Cartier London, London hallmarks for 1972, manual wind
Year: c. 1972–1975; Bonhams and Phillips catalog examples with London hallmarks for 1972; the-cartiers.com writes that known examples carry London hallmarks from 1972 to 1975
Movement: Manual; Jaeger-LeCoultre Cal. P838 with a Glucydur balance, as Bonhams catalogs it; Phillips gives 18 jewels
Case: 35–35.5 mm, 18k Yellow Gold
Dial: Cream; A square dial set in the rounded case, with black Roman numerals and a black inner minute track; signed Cartier
Hands: Blued steel; Sword-shaped
Crystal: Not stated in the catalogs consulted
Strap: Leather; Brown Cartier alligator strap on an 18k gold Cartier deployant clasp stamped JC, hallmarked and numbered to match the case

The London Pebble: a 35–35.5 mm 18k yellow gold case with a square dial, hand-wound on the Jaeger-LeCoultre Cal. P838, with London hallmarks, the JC punch mark and a case number repeated on its gold deployant clasp. Bonhams and Phillips have each sold one hallmarked for 1972, and Phillips writes that around six were made.

Other Known References

1 documented reference across 1 era

Reunion & Democratization1964–1992

1 ref

	Reference	Case Material	Movement	Case Size	Dial	Crystal
	London Pebble18k Yellow Gold · Manual	18k Yellow Gold	Manual	35–35.5 mm	Cream	Not stated in the catalogs consulted

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 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 Pebble, drawn from the reference records below.

What is the Cartier Pebble?: A round 18k gold watch with a square dial, designed and made by Cartier London in the early 1970s and hand-wound on a Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber. Bonhams and Phillips have each sold one with hallmarks for 1972, at 35 mm and 35.5 mm. It has no reference number; Archiva documents it as the [London Pebble](/cartier/pebble/ref-london).
Why is it called the Baseball?: Bonhams writes that the watch is called the Pebble, or in the United States the Baseball, and Phillips cataloged one under the title Baseball, noting that it is nicknamed The Pebble or Baseball because of its appearance.
How rare is the Pebble?: Phillips writes that research suggests around six examples were made, and Bonhams that only a handful of pieces are known. The-cartiers.com writes that only six large-size examples are believed to exist and that Pebbles were made in two sizes, for men and women.
Are other Cartier watches called the Pebble?: Yes. Sotheby's has cataloged two Cartier watches of the 1940s as the Pebble: a 26 mm example of about 1948 and a 24 mm example of about 1945 retailed in New York, both in yellow gold on LeCoultre movements. They are smaller, earlier watches with French and American markings, not London hallmarks. Cartier also reissued the Pebble in 2022 as a limited edition of 150.
What should I check before buying a Pebble?: The London hallmarks and date letter, the JC punch mark and the case number inside the case back; the same number on the gold deployant clasp; a hand-wound Jaeger-LeCoultre movement, which Bonhams records as the Cal. P838; and a case whose lines have not been softened by polishing.

Next Steps

INHERITOR