The watch Baignoire : oval elegance from Cartier

For over a century, the maison Cartier embodies elegance and audacity through its watch creations. Among them, the baignoire of Cartier stands out with its unique oval-shaped design and sleek silhouette. This timepiece has become a true icon of women's watchmaking, which we will see everywhere this year.

The origins of the watch baignoire

Born from the desire to explore new watchmaking forms, in an era where round watches dominated, Cartier chooses innovation by offering watches in rectangular, square and oval shapes. The work begins in 1911 with the invention of a wristwatch for the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, a square watch with rounded corners marked by visible screws with a very particular style. It continued in 1912 with the launch of the Tortue watch, then the project of the baignoire, initiated by Louis Cartier for Duchess Maria Pavlovna, who initially imagined a rectangle with rounded ends, in line with the two models that preceded it. The design evolved until 1958 when the first watch appears “Oval-arched" with an oval dial and a slightly curved case to fit the wrist. It was later, in 1973, that it was officially named after baignoire, referring to luxurious bathtubs in the VIP boxes of the Opéra Garnier, the name by which it is known today.

Its design with soft and refined lines, combined with the excellence of the watchmaking know-how of the maison, quickly seduced an elegant and demanding clientele who appreciated its timelessness and its "French chic". Its minimalist dial features Roman numerals and blued hands, evidence of the style Cartier which can be found in all of its watches: Tank, Santos, Panthère…

The evolution of the Baignoire of Cartier

Concentrated with elegance and delicacy, the Baignoire of Cartier, over the decades, plays with its proportions and finishes to better reinvent itself while retaining its identity.

Based on the dual identity of Cartier, jeweler and watchmaker, artisans explore new creative territories around the baignoire, a watch with the look of a jewel. In the 1970s, the iconic oval dial was extended and gave birth to the “Baignoire Allongée" (elongated Baignoire). Today, the Baignoire sports other variations of its dial, with a more wavy shape, like a tourbillon, or even paved with diamonds.

Finally, as for the bracelet, It can be made of leather, in several finishes and colors, or in gold, yellow, white or pink, simple or set with diamonds, to enhance all wrists.

The Baignoire on the wrists of celebrities

The Baignoire has also been adopted by fashion icons and influencers over the years, further cementing its iconic status. From "Swinging London"in the 1960s at the"Panthère reincarnated"in the 1980s, the baignoire has been seen on the wrists of the most fashionable women: Jeanne Moreau, Romy Schneider and Catherine Deneuve... each solidifying her place in the history of fashion and style.

In 2023, the watch baignoire has returned in force to the podiums, in an irresistible dial format: the “Mini baignoire”, presented at the show Watches & Wonders, which is now embodied by Lou Doillon, the contemporary ambassador of the Maison, alongside Fashion icons such as Kylie and Kendall Jenner proudly sport this brand new model on their wrists.

On the same maison, you might also like to read
TOP 5 watches Cartier
The collection Clash of Cartier