The History of the Cartier Roadster
Cartier Roadster ‘Las Vegas dial’ ref. W62002V3 / Credit: Gray and Sons
So many timepieces are inspired by automobiles, from Rolex to Seiko, and some, like the Heuer Autavia, even evolved from their original form as dashboard clocks. While Cartier is not usually associated with motorsport, there is one timepiece in their collection that is inspired by automobiles.
Released in 2001, the Cartier Roadster may already be considered a vintage watch, depending on your definition of vintage. While the Cartier Roadster was only produced for 10 years, it remains a popular piece for Cartier fans. The unique design of the Roadster is one of the main facets of the timepiece that makes it so popular. Its distinct tonneau-shaped case recalls the round, aerodynamic design of sports cars, particularly those from the mid-20th century like the Porsche 356. It has also been compared to the Cartier Tortue’s tonneau shaped case.
Porsche 356 C / Credit: Alexandre Prévot
With the increased popularity of Cartier, particularly vintage Cartier, the Roadster is sure to benefit as far as price appreciation goes in the coming years. It was produced in several different models including the Cartier Roadster Chronograph, the Roadster S, the Roadster GMT, and the Roadster XL. At 38 mm in diameter, the Cartier Roadster’s larger size is an excellent fit for those with larger wrists – and deviates from Cartier’s usual, smaller dress watches, like the classic Cartier Tank. The Roadster even had 100 meters of water resistance! And was powered by the automatic Cartier Cal. 3110.
Cartier Roadster GMT ref. W62032X6
One model from the Roadster collection stands out in particular as its dial design looks like the Porsche 356’s speedometer, the Cartier Roadster ‘Las Vegas dial’ ref. W62002V3. Today, while the Roadster is no more in the Cartier collection, they are still selling the Drive de Cartier.
By: Andres Ibarguen
Read more:
Parker, Garrett. “A Buyer’s Guide for the Cartier Roadster Chronograph.” Money Inc, 2021, https://moneyinc.com/cartier-roadster-chronograph/.
“CARTIER ROADSTER.” Watch Wiki, https://www.watch-wiki.net/doku.php?id=cartier_roadster.
Simon, Celine. “A Drive with the Cartier Roadster.” Gray and Sons, February 4th, 2021, https://www.grayandsons.com/blog/a-drive-with-the-cartier-roadster/.