Rare White Gold Cartier Wristwatch Sets $3.4 Million Hong Kong Auction Record
The Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction set a new record for Cartier watches when the unique white‑gold Cartier Cheich, a one‑off piece created in 2010 for Paris‑Dakar Rally champion Giorgio Seragnoli, sold for $3.4 million (HK$26.52 million). The Cheich, originally awarded to consecutive rally winners and never intended for public sale, is one of only five known examples and features a quartz movement in a 38 mm × 27 mm case. Its sale highlights the growing demand for rare Cartier models and underscores the brand’s heritage in motorsport, where the Cartier Challenge trophy was once a prized prize for back‑to‑back winners. Another notable result came from the sale of a London Midi Pebble, which fetched about $494 000 (HK$3.8 million), the highest price ever achieved for a Pebble at auction. The auction also saw the withdrawal of a Cartier London Maxi Pebble lot after a duplicate serial number was discovered, prompting a joint investigation by Sotheby’s and Monaco Legend Auctions. This collaborative effort aims to verify the authenticity of the watches and ensure proper handling of these exceptionally rare pieces.
Buying Time Analysis: The auction of the rare white‑gold Cartier Cheich, fetching a record $3.4 million, highlights soaring collector demand and sets a new benchmark for Cartier’s most exclusive timepieces, underscoring the market’s appetite for unique heritage watches.
