Cartier Circa 1929 La Pendule Magnétique 'Water Clock'
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1929
Maker / issuer
CartierLot 933 from the Phillips Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVIII represents a rare Cartier magnetic water clock, known as 'La Pendule Magnétique', dating to circa 1929.
Built under the supervision of Maurice Couet, the clock incorporates an 18th-century Chinese carved nephrite basin encircled by a mythical chimera. Time is indicated by a floating carp fish traversing a shallow water-filled bowl around gold, lacquer, coral, mother-of-pearl, and enamel markers, propelled by hidden magnets within the case. The basin rests upon a fluted marble base ornamented with lapis lazuli pillars and aventurine cabochons.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Magnetic water clock
- Materials
- Marble, silver, lapis lazuli, nephrite, coral, mother-of-pearl, enamel, and jade
- Mechanism
- Concealed magnetic field propelling floating carp indicator
- Place recorded
- France
- Workshop Direction
- Maurice Couet
- Maker / attribution
- Cartier
Design
- Visible features
- • Carved green nephrite basin with an elongated mythical chimera perched along the rim • Fluted cylindrical pedestal flanked by upright lapis lazuli pilasters and red accents • Tiered dark base adorned with pyramidal green aventurine cabochons and gilt metal trim • Gilt or decorative markers visible along the inner rim of the basin
- Construction and Materiality
- The central basin is identified as an 18th-century Chinese piece made of nephrite. A carved chimera figure is integrated into the basin, positioned along the rim. The base structure is constructed of marble and incorporates lapis lazuli and aventurine accents. Other materials cited in the object's composition include silver, coral, mother-of-pearl, and enamel.
- Mechanism and Time Indication
- The clock utilizes a magnetic field mechanism to move an indicator around a shallow, water-filled bowl. The internal drive components and magnets are concealed within the case. Time is indicated by a floating carp fish, which traverses the bowl past markers made of gold, coral, mother-of-pearl, and enamel.
- Object Identity and Provenance
- The timepiece, identified as 'La Pendule Magnétique' or 'water clock', is dated to circa 1929. The object was produced under the guidance of Maurice Couet, who founded Cartier’s horological workshop in Paris in 1919. The source notes the object's inclusion in 'The Cartier Collection: Timepieces' by Franco Cologni and François Chaille. The archival record states that this clock, one of three similar examples, was missing for a period before reappearing at a 1990 auction in New York.
Identification
- Lot Identification
- Lot 933: A Circa 1929 La Pendule Magnétique 'Water Clock'
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The interior basin floor, water level, and the floating magnetic carp indicator are not visible in this profile photograph
- Research required: Internal drive components and magnet assemblies are entirely concealed within the base plinth