Cartier Must de Cartier Vendôme | Black Dial Vermeil | 1980s | Quartz Papers

Black. Vermeil. Cartier. That is the whole sentence.

The Must de Cartier Vendôme is one of those pieces that looks better with age. A round vermeil case, a black lacquer dial with white Roman numerals, a sapphire cabochon crown and those characteristic sword hands. Everything that makes a Cartier recognisable from ten metres away, compressed into a 30mm circle.

The Must line launched in the early 1970s as Cartier's democratic gesture. Not gold, but vermeil, which is gold-plated sterling silver and carries almost all the presence at a fraction of the weight. The Vendôme version, with its round case and understated proportions, has aged better than most. It sits flat on the wrist, reads instantly and never competes with what you are wearing. It simply elevates it.

Quartz movement. Black leather strap with gold pin buckle. Comes with its original guarantee card.

The one people keep asking about.