What is the Must de Cartier Vendôme Ref. 590003?

The large vermeil Must Vendôme: a 30 mm round case of 925 sterling silver plated with gold, with T-bar lugs, a cabochon crown and a quartz movement that Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr catalogs as the 8-jewel cal. 690. Auction houses date examples from about 1990 to about 1999.

How do I tell the 590003 from the 590004?

By size and number. The 590003 is the 30 mm large model, which Pescheteau-Badin catalogs as the Must Vendôme GM; the [Ref. 590004](/cartier/vendome/ref-590004) is the 24 mm small model, on a caliber 90 as Fellows catalogs it. Both are vermeil and quartz.

How do I tell a vermeil 590003 from a gold 30 mm Vendôme?

By the case marks and the number. The 590003 is gold-plated silver. The 30 mm [Vendôme Trinity 881003](/cartier/vendome/ref-881003) is 18k gold in three colors on the cal. 81. On a vermeil case, worn edges and lugs can show the silver under the gold.

What should I check before buying a Ref. 590003?

The 590003 number on the case back, the plating at the edges, the lugs and the case back rim, and the dial, since Pescheteau-Badin has cataloged one with a cracked and spotted dial. Ask for a photograph of the movement and compare it with the cal. 690 recorded at auction.

Cartier · Vendôme

Must de Cartier Vendôme Vermeil, Large Model, Quartz

Ref. 590003c. 1990s

The Must de Cartier Vendôme Ref. 590003 is the large vermeil Vendôme: a 30 mm quartz watch of gold-plated sterling silver on the Cartier cal. 690, cataloged c. 1990s with Roman numerals on a cream or silvered dial and T-bar lugs.

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Specifications

Reference: 590003; Vermeil, quartz, 30 mm
Year: c. 1990s; Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr dates one example circa 1990, Pescheteau-Badin another to the 1990s and Jezequel a third circa 1999
Movement: Quartz; Cartier cal. 690, 8 jewels
Case: 30 mm, Vermeil (925 sterling silver with gold plating)
Dial: Cream or silvered; Roman numerals on both; the silvered dial has black Roman numerals and a black inner minute track
Hands: Blued steel; Sword-shaped
Crystal: Not stated in the catalogs consulted
Strap: Leather; Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr catalogs a black leather strap with a signed gilt buckle

Visual Description

The Ref. 590003 is the large Must de Cartier Vendôme: a 30 mm round case of sterling silver under gold plating, with T-bar lugs and a cabochon-set crown. Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr records a case back held by two screws.

Two dials are documented at auction. Jezequel catalogs a cream dial with Roman numerals, and Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr a silvered dial with black Roman numerals and a black inner minute track. Both have blued steel sword hands. Straps are leather; the Bonhams example has a signed gilt buckle.

Reference Significance

The 590003 is the 30 mm vermeil Vendôme of the Must de Cartier line, the larger companion to the 24 mm Ref. 590004. Pescheteau-Badin catalogs it as the Must Vendôme GM, for grand modèle, and Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr names the model as Vendôme Must de Cartier.

Its movement is documented by two houses. Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr catalogs the 8-jewel cal. 690, and Fellows recorded a signed caliber 690 on an example it measured at 29.8 mm, where the 24 mm 590004 runs on the caliber 90.

Historical Context

Auction houses date the 590003 to the 1990s: Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr circa 1990, Pescheteau-Badin to the 1990s and Jezequel circa 1999. No catalog consulted gives an earlier date or says when production ended. A 30 mm Vendôme was also made in 18k gold, the Vendôme Trinity 881003, with a bezel in three golds.

What to Look For

Read the case back for 590003, which Leland Little and Fellows both record beside a six-digit serial. On a vermeil case, check the edges, the lugs and the case back rim for gold worn through to the silver.

Look closely at the dial: Pescheteau-Badin cataloged one with cracks, spots and chips. Ask for a photograph of the quartz movement and compare it with the cal. 690 recorded at auction.

Known Variants

Documented dial, case, and bracelet variations of Ref. 590003.

Cream Roman Dial

Cream dial with Roman numerals and blued steel sword hands, as Jezequel catalogs an example of circa 1999.

c. 1999Documented at auction

Silvered Roman Dial

Silvered dial with black Roman numerals, a black inner minute track and blued steel sword hands, on a black leather strap with a signed gilt buckle, as Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr catalogs an example of circa 1990, case No. 092943.

c. 1990Documented at auction

How to tell it apart

What separates a Ref. 590003 from its neighbors, and what to check before you buy or sell one.

What is the Must de Cartier Vendôme Ref. 590003?: The large vermeil Must Vendôme: a 30 mm round case of 925 sterling silver plated with gold, with T-bar lugs, a cabochon crown and a quartz movement that Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr catalogs as the 8-jewel cal. 690. Auction houses date examples from about 1990 to about 1999.
How do I tell the 590003 from the 590004?: By size and number. The 590003 is the 30 mm large model, which Pescheteau-Badin catalogs as the Must Vendôme GM; the [Ref. 590004](/cartier/vendome/ref-590004) is the 24 mm small model, on a caliber 90 as Fellows catalogs it. Both are vermeil and quartz.
How do I tell a vermeil 590003 from a gold 30 mm Vendôme?: By the case marks and the number. The 590003 is gold-plated silver. The 30 mm [Vendôme Trinity 881003](/cartier/vendome/ref-881003) is 18k gold in three colors on the cal. 81. On a vermeil case, worn edges and lugs can show the silver under the gold.
What should I check before buying a Ref. 590003?: The 590003 number on the case back, the plating at the edges, the lugs and the case back rim, and the dial, since Pescheteau-Badin has cataloged one with a cracked and spotted dial. Ask for a photograph of the movement and compare it with the cal. 690 recorded at auction.