01DIAL
The Secret Signature
Introduced 1977
A microscopic 'CARTIER' hidden within the Roman numerals, present on every genuine post-1977 dial.
Cartier
Tonneau
Louis Cartier's barrel-shaped wristwatch of 1906, his second design after the Santos Dumont, made in hand-wound gold and platinum versions since the late 1980s.
History
Louis Cartier's Barrel
Cartier introduced its first tonneau-shaped wristwatch in 1906. Phillips calls it the second watch Louis Cartier designed, after the Santos Dumont, and writes that its barrel-shaped case stood out at a time when watches were round. Tonneau is French for barrel.
Antiquorum describes the Tortue, released in 1912, as a variation of the Tonneau.
Gold Tonneaux of the Late 1980s and 1990s
The earliest modern examples we found are hand-wound gold. European Watch Co. has offered a 21 × 39 mm yellow gold Tonneau on the Cartier Cal. 78/1 with Cartier papers dated December 1988.
Phillips has cataloged a 26 × 39 mm yellow gold Tonneau of the 1990s on the Cal. 78/1, with a guilloché dial signed Paris that it reads as a sign the watch was made in Paris, and a lady's Ref. 2456, 21 × 39 mm in white gold set with pink diamonds, with a certificate dated December 2001.
The Collection Privée Tonneau
The Ref. 2435 is the long Tonneau: 26 × 46 mm, usually in platinum, with a silver guilloché dial signed Cartier Paris, painted black Roman numerals and a sapphire crystal. It carries two movements under one number. Examples of the 1990s run on the hand-wound Cal. 78/1, with case numbers in an A series; Monaco Legend dates a platinum one to 1993 and has sold one in yellow gold. No rose gold 2435 has been found.
Phillips catalogs the Collection Privée version as the CPCP Tonneau, Ref. 2435 C, hand-wound on the Cal. 060 MC with 21 jewels; other catalogs print 2435 D or F, with case numbers in an AF series. Phillips dates one example to about 2000 and another, by a Cartier certificate of July 2008, to 2008.
Phillips also catalogs a Tonneau XL, Ref. 2802H, in pink gold at 29.4 × 43.4 mm, as part of the CPCP collection. It dates the example to about 2006 and writes that it was most probably made in a limited series.
The Ref. 2487 is a platinum Tonneau with two time zones on two silvered dials, each driven by its own hand-wound Cal. 061 movement with 21 jewels, made in 1999 in a numbered edition of 99 to mark the handover of Macau and engraved Macau 1999 on the back. Phillips and Sotheby's catalog it within the Collection Privée; catalogs measure it at 26 × 46 mm or about 26.5 × 39–41 mm.
After the Collection Privée
A Collected Man writes that Cartier reintroduced the Tonneau in 2019, in platinum and pink gold. The platinum edition, Ref. WGTN0005, is 26 × 46 mm on the hand-wound Cal. 1917 MC and numbered out of 100.
Quintessential Reference
Ref. 2435 · c. 1990s–2008
- Reference
- 2435
- Platinum, manual wind, Cartier Paris
- Year
- c. 1990s–2008
- Monaco Legend dates a platinum example to 1993, and Phillips one, by its Cartier certificate, to 2008; the 1988 example European Watch Co. listed under 2435 is a smaller 21 × 39 mm yellow gold watch
- Movement
- Manual
- Cartier Cal. 78/1 on 1990s examples; Cal. 060 MC, 21 jewels, on Collection Privée examples of c. 2000–2008
- Case
- 26 × 46 mm, Platinum (PT950)
- Dial
- Silver guilloché
- Sunray concentric guilloché, painted black Roman numerals, inner black minute scale, signed 'Cartier Paris'
- Hands
- Blued steel
- Breguet-style
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Sapphire crystal
- Strap
- Leather
- Leather strap with an 18k white gold Cartier deployant clasp; Monaco Legend has sold one on a platinum bracelet
The Ref. 2435: a long, curved Tonneau of 26 × 46 mm, hand-wound and usually in platinum, with a silver guilloché dial signed Cartier Paris, painted black Roman numerals and a sapphire crystal. Examples of the 1990s run on the Cal. 78/1 and Collection Privée examples of about 2000 to 2008 on the Cal. 060 MC with 21 jewels; Monaco Legend has also sold one in yellow gold, so check the metal and the movement against the case number.
Other Known References
2 documented references across 1 era
Modern Manufacture1993–20012 refs
| Reference | |
|---|---|
 | Ref. 2435Platinum (PT950) · Manual |
| Ref. 2487Platinum · Manual |
What is a Cartier Tonneau 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
$20,900
Likely range $18,850 to $23,000
Median of 4 sales of Ref. 2435 since Nov 2021. The last three years alone have too few, so this goes back five.
Median $20,900
Condition: Very good ×1.00
What a dealer would likely pay$15,700 to $17,800Dealers 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 2021 to October 2024, 4 counted sales of Ref. 2435 ran from $13,900 to $25,850, with a middle price of $20,900. The most recent was $13,900 at Bukowskis in October 2024.
See all 7 sales of Ref. 2435: 4 counted, 3 not
| Date | Ref. | Where | Details | Counts as | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2024 | W1528151 | BukowskisAuction | Lot 1089, 22 Oct 2024. 26 x 46 mm, platinum, manual, 060MC. Leather strap, folding clasp in 18K white gold. Hammer price, premium not included. | This reference | SEK 145,000≈ $13,900 |
| Sep 2024 | 2435C | Phillips GenevaAuction | Online sale. Platinum, made 2008 (late production of a pre-2002 ref), certificate and CPCP box | This reference | CHF 20,320≈ $24,000 |
| Dec 2021 | 2435 | Sotheby's Hong Kong (via Collector Square)Auction | Platinum Tonneau XL | This reference | HKD 138,600≈ $17,850 |
| Nov 2021 | 2435C | Phillips Hong KongAuction | Lot 926, 25 Nov 2021. 26 x 46 mm, platinum, manual, cal. 060MC, 21 jewels. Result includes premium. | This reference | HKD 201,600≈ $25,850 |
| Oct 2021 | 2435 | Monaco Legend Auctions | YG 46x26, 1990s, No. 63 | Not countedyellow gold; the 2435 page covers the platinum model | EUR 8,125≈ $9,400 |
| Oct 2021 | 2435 | Monaco Legend AuctionsAuction | Lot 72, 16 Oct 2021. 45 x 26.5 mm, platinum, manual. Platinum bracelet; Box and Papers (title: Box, Warranty). Result includes premium. | Not countedolder than the five-year window | EUR 42,500≈ $49,300 |
| Mar 2020 | 2435 | Sotheby's New York (via Collector Square)Auction | Platinum c.2000 | Not countedolder than the five-year window | USD 8,125 |
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. Some figures are as reported by the auction house's own articles or the press and are rounded. Rows via Collector Square come from its public results index and should be confirmed at the auction house. Results that some houses show only to signed-in visitors are read from the house's own page with an Archiva account. 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 Tonneau, drawn from the reference records below.
What is a Cartier Tonneau worth?
- Public auction and dealer results from November 2023 to November 2026 put the ref. 2435 collection privée 26 x 46 mm (Ref. 2435C, W1528151) at $16,450 to $21,500, median $18,950 across 2 sales; the macau handover 1999 platinum dual time limited to 99 (Ref. 2487) at $26,550 to $28,400, median $27,450 across 2 sales; the 1990s platinum 26 x 46 mm (Ref. Tonneau) at one public sale at $19,100; and the cartier paris gold 1970s–1990s (Ref. Tonneau) at one public sale at $15,400. 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 Tonneau?
- 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 ref. 2435 collection privée 26 x 46 mm Tonneau at the recent median of $18,950, that suggests bids of roughly $14,200 to $16,100. Archiva is opening a panel of specialist dealers who bid blind, with the seller keeping the whole winning bid.
What is the Cartier Tonneau?
- A wristwatch with a barrel-shaped case (tonneau is French for barrel) that Cartier introduced in 1906. Phillips calls it the second watch Louis Cartier designed, after the Santos Dumont, and writes that its barrel shape was unconventional at a time when watches were round.
How do I tell which Tonneau I have?
- Measure the case and read the case back. The Ref. 2435 is the long Tonneau of 26 × 46 mm, usually in platinum, hand-wound on the Cal. 78/1 in the 1990s and on the Cal. 060 MC in the Collection Privée examples, which carry 2435 C, D or F. Phillips has also cataloged a 26 × 39 mm yellow gold Tonneau of the 1990s on the Cal. 78/1, a 21 × 39 mm lady's Ref. 2456 in white gold set with pink diamonds, the 29.4 × 43.4 mm Tonneau XL Ref. 2802H in pink gold and a 2019 platinum limited edition, Ref. WGTN0005. A platinum Tonneau with two dials, one above the other, and a case back engraved Macau 1999 is the dual-time Ref. 2487, made in 1999 in an edition of 99. Sizes are not always kept apart: one 21 × 39 mm yellow gold Tonneau has been listed under 2435.
Is the Tonneau rare?
- For most references no production figures appear in the catalogs we consulted. Phillips writes that the Collection Privée Tonneau XL was most probably made in a limited series. Two editions are numbered: the dual-time Ref. 2487 of 1999 out of 99 and the 2019 platinum edition out of 100.
What does CPCP mean on a Tonneau?
- Collection Privée Cartier Paris, a line Cartier launched in 1998 and ran until 2008. Phillips catalogs the platinum Ref. 2435 C as the CPCP Tonneau, one of them with a 2008 certificate, and the pink gold Tonneau XL Ref. 2802H as part of the collection.
What should I check before buying a Tonneau?
- The curve first: polishing flattens the barrel, so look along the case under angled light. Then the case size against the reference, a Cartier movement that fits it (the Cal. 78/1 on 1990s examples of the 2435 and the Cal. 060 MC on Collection Privée ones), even guilloché and crisp printing on the dial, and an original signed clasp in a metal that matches the case.
Next Steps
INHERITOR
I inherited this watch
Tonneaux of very different dates share the same shape. Measure the case, read the case back and note the movement before any decisions.
START HERE →BUYERI'm buying this watch
Tonneaux come in several sizes and on several movements. Know which one you are looking at, and what to check, before you compare.
CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY →SELLERI'm selling this watch
A 1990s gold Tonneau, a platinum 2435 and a 2019 limited edition are different watches. Start with the reference, the case size and any papers.
PRICE MY WATCH →
