We Buy Auctions – The Cartier Tank of Jackie Kennedy Onassis Replica Clearance

Jackie Kennedy Onassis Tank

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis no doubt tops the Hall of Fame for stylish women watch wearers. The former First Lady and enduring fashion icon sported a chic, yellow gold Cartier Watches Automatic Replica Tank for most of her life – a timepiece that has been featured in many now-famous photographs.

Jackie Kennedy Onassis Tank

Gifted to Jackie from her brother-in-law Prince Stanislaw “Stas” Radziwill in 1963, the watch is engraved on the back with “Stas to Jackie 23 Feb. 63 2:05 am to 9:35 pm.” – the times referencing a special 50-mile hike undertaken in Palm Beach that year, and which was sparked by John F Kennedy.

Jackie Kennedy Onassis Tank

News that the watch even existed at all was “the most exciting email of the year,” recalls Christie’s Eric Wind, senior watch specialist and vice president. The inscription only adds to the provenance. “No one knew the story of the engraving. It was only known that [Mrs Kennedy] had this watch and of course wore it throughout her life,” says Mr Wind.

Manufactured in 1962 and sized at just 20 x 28mm, the square-shaped design with a silver dial and Roman numerals is a notably rare model. “One thing people notice is how small and elegant it actually is,” says Wind. “You would think it’s a little larger from the photographs.” 

Indeed such images are what launched the Cartier Tank into an iconic timepiece. “This was Jackie’s watch and it inspired legions of women for decades to go out and buy Cartier Tank watches for themselves,” says Mr Wind. The watch, incidentally, celebrates its 100th birthday this year. 

The winning bidder will also become the proud owner of a painting by Mrs Kennedy herself, who after receiving the watch, created an original work celebrating the 50 mile hike. Many in John F Kennedy’s inner circle embarked on the long-distance walk in 1963 – among them Stas and American heir and political advisor Chuck Spalding, both whom Mrs Kennedy depicted in her painting that she further signed with: “February 23, 1963 2:05 am to 9:35 pm / Jackie to Stas with love and admiration”.

Jackie Kennedy Onassis Tank

Painting by Mrs Kennedy

The lot has an estimate of $60,000-$120,000, and the anonymous consigner will donate a portion of proceeds to the National Endowment for the Arts. Expect bidding to be fierce but those unlucky need not despair: a host of other historical lots are up for grabs – the sale after all is titled American Icons and features exceptional watches by prominent American athletes, celebrities and society figures. 

Baseball fans will flock to a 1926 Cartier twenty-dollar coin watch ($50,000-$100,000) that sporting legend Babe Ruth gave to his friend and notorious New York gangster “Bumpy Johnson”, while Joe DiMaggio’s 1962 square shaped, white gold Audemars Piguet ($25,000-$30,000) with an engraved back is sure to pique interest too. Finally, with the current political climate driving an uptick in presidential timepieces, an unusual 1955 Patek Philippe Ref 2552 that’s attributed to 36th President Lyndon Baines Johnson is sure to appeal. The words “Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You” form a semi-circle on the 35.5mm watch’s silver dial, and it’s believed these “Golden Rule” watches – two of which are now in the LBJ Museum – were ordered by the then-senator as expensive gifts. 

Dig deep. 

 

Rare Watches and American Icons
21 June 2017
So besides the fact that an in-house movement has become increasingly more important, Cartier Watches Price List Replica realised very well that to be really successful and reliable in the world of high-end watches they needed to produce not only their own calibers, but also as many parts as possible, like the instance, springs, rotors, dials, hands, glass etc.Cartier constructed, throughout the Collection Privée period, a huge — over 30.000 square meters — fabricate in La Chaux-de-Fonds (see our coverage) and began to work with a selected group of watchmakers on a follow up project to be started in 2008, all headed by Carole Forestier-Kasapi, the genius watchmaker which was hired in 2005 and had worked at Audemars Piguet (Renaud & Papi) and van Cleef & Arpels. This very contemporary and luxury manufacture is currently with the Rolex manufacture, the largest in Switzerland!The first result of Cartier’s high-end watchmaking premiered in November 2007. A — by Carole Forestier-Kasapi — developed Flying Tourbillon caliber was demonstrated to the press. Unfortunately, the opinion was housed in a 47mm over-sized Ballon Bleu case, after the huge watch trend.Since the release of that Flying Tourbillon, Cartier didn’t rest on their laurels. While other leading brands such as Audemars Piguet were carrying it quietly and pleasing the watch fanatics with ‘Offshore’ afterwards ‘Offshore’, year in, year out, Cartier made over-hours and devised new substances, new calibers and amazed the press every January in the SIHH with real novelties. Back in 2009, and again in 2012, Cartier even invited over a hundred journalists from all over the planet and flew them into La Chaux-de-Fonds, to present the ID-ONE and ID-TWO watch at their own manufacture. Two prototype watches which would not reach the market, but were created for research and — of course — to demonstrate the press just how far ahead Cartier was in fine watchmaking.
Christie’s New York, Rockefeller Center
www.christies.com