Cartier La Doña de Cartier

This piece is part of our FIRST LOOK collection—your early access window into upcoming arrivals before they officially launch on the site. If you’d like more details or wish to reserve this watch ahead of the public release, simply click the Inquire for Priority Access button at the top of the page, complete the short form, and a member of our team will reach out shortly.

Cartier has never needed a round case to make a great watch. The maison’s history is filled with Tanks, Tortues, Baignoires, Clochettes, and all manner of unconventional shapes, but the La Doña remains one of its more unusual modern creations. Introduced in the mid-2000s and named in tribute to legendary Mexican actress María Félix, known simply as “La Doña,” the collection was designed with the same strong personality as its namesake.

This Ref. WE60060I-2904 is an especially glamorous expression of the design, pairing an 18K rose gold case measuring approximately 22 x 22.5mm with a factory diamond-set bezel. The sharply tapered case gives the watch an almost architectural quality, while the silver dial is pure Cartier: oversized black Roman numerals, a chemin-de-fer minute track, blued steel hands, and the familiar sapphire cabochon set into the crown.

The real drama, however, is the integrated rose gold bracelet. Sculptural, overlapping links flow directly from the case, giving the entire watch the appearance of a piece of jewelry rather than a watch attached to a bracelet. A concealed deployant clasp keeps the construction uninterrupted on the wrist. This example is accompanied by its inner and outer boxes, papers, and pamphlets.

La Doña was never intended to be subtle. Small in scale but big in personality, it combines Cartier’s gift for unusual watch shapes with the kind of bold, fluid gold jewelry the maison does so well. More bracelet than watch, more sculpture than timekeeper—a little under the radar these days, and OH, SO Cartier.

Despite being a purveyor of haute joaillerie, Cartier has had a long tradition of making watches.

It started in 1907, when founder Louis Cartier made one of the first wristwatches for his friend Alberto Santos-Dumont. In the following years, the brand made a name for itself with its most famous wristwatch, the Tank, in all its multitudinous forms.

Cartier introduced the Tank in 1917 — which was supposedly inspired by the Renault FT-17 tanks seen on the battlefields of World War I — with a run of six pieces. (According to legend, these were given to American General John J. Pershing and his staff.) Cartier took the look of the Renault tank's treads and applied it to the watch’s lugs, which were integrated via brancards into the case itself. That first run of six pieces increased to thirty-three by 1920, and by the end of the 20th Century, that number stood well in the hundreds of thousands. Indeed, in sheer volume alone, the Tank — in all its various models — is Cartier's largest line of watches.

The Tank Louis was introduced in 1922, followed close on the heels of the Asian-influenced Tank Chinoise. The Chinoise, released amid a mania for jewelry inspired by the Orient, has a square rather than rectangular case and lugs resembling the portico of a Chinese pagoda.

From its debut, the Tank would see many variations, each in keeping with Louis Cartier’s taste for clean lines and perfect symmetry. Each variant — from the original Tank to the Tank Louis to the Cintrée with its flirtatious, curvaceous lines — has its passionate devotees. Rudolph Valentino, that sensual star of the silver screen, insisted on wearing his Tank onscreen in The Son of the Sheik, and Clark Gable, Andy Warhol, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis were among those who sported a one throughout the years.

Other model lines, including the Santos (based upon the original model crafted for Alberto Santos-Dumont) and the Pasha, have developed devoted followers. Indeed, the maison is unique as one of the few jewelry brands to elicit as much passion from collectors as dedicated watch companies.

Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a two-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.