What is the Cartier Tonneau Ref. 2487?

A platinum Tonneau with two time zones, made in 1999 in a numbered edition of 99 to mark the handover of Macau to the People's Republic of China. It has two silvered guilloché dials, one above the other, each driven by its own hand-wound Cartier Cal. 061 movement with 21 jewels, and a case back engraved Macau 1999. Phillips and Sotheby's catalog it as part of the Collection Privée Cartier Paris.

How is the 2487 different from the Ref. 2435?

The 2435 is a single-time Tonneau of 26 × 46 mm, usually in platinum, hand-wound on one movement and made over many years. The 2487 shows two time zones on two dials, runs on two Cal. 061 movements, and was made only in 1999 in an edition of 99 for Macau.

99, numbered on the case, for example 38/99. Phillips and Sotheby's write that 77 were right-handed and 22 left-handed.

What should the case back of a 2487 read?

Macau 1999, engraved on a back secured by four screws, with the reference 2487 and the edition number out of 99. Sotheby's records one as case 2487 no. 29/99.

What size is the 2487?

Catalogs differ. Phillips gives 26 × 46 mm on two examples, as does Sotheby's on one. Sotheby's gives 26.5 × 39 mm on two others and Antiquorum 27 × 40 mm and 26 × 41 mm. No source says how it measured, so the difference may be whether the lugs are included.

Cartier · Tonneau

Tonneau Double Fuseau, Macau 1999, Platinum

Ref. 24871999

The Cartier Tonneau Ref. 2487 is a platinum dual-time Tonneau made in 1999 in a numbered edition of 99 for the Macau handover, with two hand-wound Cal. 061 movements; catalogs measure it at 26 × 46 mm or about 26.5 × 39–41 mm.

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Specifications

Reference: 2487; Platinum dual-time Tonneau, two hand-wound movements, limited edition of 99 for the Macau handover
Year: 1999; Sotheby's states the watch was made in 1999 and the case back reads Macau 1999; Antiquorum records one sold new on 25 November 1999 and another in January 2000
Movement: Manual; Two hand-wound Cartier Cal. 061 movements, 21 jewels; one Antiquorum catalog of 2000 describes two quartz movements
Case: 26 × 46 mm or 26.5 × 39–41 mm, Platinum; Curved tonneau with two dials one above the other, a back secured by four screws and engraved Macau 1999
Dial: Silvered guilloché; Two dials decorated in different styles, with painted Roman numerals and an applied white gold 9; Sotheby's describes Roman and baton indexes on one example
Hands: Blued steel
Strap: Leather; Leather or alligator strap with an 18k white gold Cartier deployant clasp

Visual Description

The 2487 is a curved platinum Tonneau carrying two dials, one above the other. Both dials are silvered and guilloché, decorated in different styles, with painted Roman numerals and an applied white gold 9; Sotheby's describes one example with Roman numerals on one dial and Roman and baton indexes on the other. The hands are blued steel.

The back is secured by four screws and engraved Macau 1999 with the edition number out of 99. Examples are cataloged on leather or alligator straps with an 18k white gold Cartier deployant clasp.

Reference Significance

The 2487 is a commemorative limited edition. Its two hand-wound Cartier Cal. 061 movements, one for each dial, set it apart from the single-time Ref. 2435, the long platinum Tonneau of the 1990s and the Collection Privée.

Phillips names it the Tonneau Double Fuseau and Sotheby's the Tonneau Two Time Zones, and both catalog it within the Collection Privée Cartier Paris.

Historical Context

Cartier made the 2487 in 1999 in an edition of 99 to mark the return of Macau to the People's Republic of China. Antiquorum records one example sold new on 25 November 1999 and another in January 2000. Phillips and Sotheby's write that 77 pieces were right-handed and 22 left-handed.

What to Look For

Read the case back first: Macau 1999, the reference 2487 and an edition number out of 99. Both time displays should run and set. Ask to see both movements: Phillips, Sotheby's and a later Antiquorum catalog describe two hand-wound Cal. 061 movements with 21 jewels, while Antiquorum's catalog of 2000 describes two quartz movements, a difference no source explains.

The curved platinum case flattens under heavy polishing, so look along it under angled light. The deployant clasp should be 18k white gold and signed Cartier.

Known Variants

Documented dial, case, and bracelet variations of Ref. 2487.

Right-Handed

Phillips and Sotheby's write that 77 of the 99 pieces were right-handed; Phillips describes its example numbered 38 as one of them.

199977 of 99, per Phillips and Sotheby's

Left-Handed

Phillips and Sotheby's write that 22 of the 99 pieces were left-handed.

199922 of 99, per Phillips and Sotheby's

How to tell it apart

What separates a Ref. 2487 from its neighbors, and what to check before you buy or sell one.

What is the Cartier Tonneau Ref. 2487?: A platinum Tonneau with two time zones, made in 1999 in a numbered edition of 99 to mark the handover of Macau to the People's Republic of China. It has two silvered guilloché dials, one above the other, each driven by its own hand-wound Cartier Cal. 061 movement with 21 jewels, and a case back engraved Macau 1999. Phillips and Sotheby's catalog it as part of the Collection Privée Cartier Paris.
How is the 2487 different from the Ref. 2435?: The 2435 is a single-time Tonneau of 26 × 46 mm, usually in platinum, hand-wound on one movement and made over many years. The 2487 shows two time zones on two dials, runs on two Cal. 061 movements, and was made only in 1999 in an edition of 99 for Macau.
How many were made?: 99, numbered on the case, for example 38/99. Phillips and Sotheby's write that 77 were right-handed and 22 left-handed.
What should the case back of a 2487 read?: Macau 1999, engraved on a back secured by four screws, with the reference 2487 and the edition number out of 99. Sotheby's records one as case 2487 no. 29/99.
What size is the 2487?: Catalogs differ. Phillips gives 26 × 46 mm on two examples, as does Sotheby's on one. Sotheby's gives 26.5 × 39 mm on two others and Antiquorum 27 × 40 mm and 26 × 41 mm. No source says how it measured, so the difference may be whether the lugs are included.

Other Tonneau References

Ref. 2435

Tonneau, Platinum, Manual Wind

Platinum (PT950) · c. 1990s–2008

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