This 1993 Cartier Must de Cartier Vendôme, reference 590003, is a large 30 mm quartz Vermeil example presented as a full set. Its ivory Roman-numeral dial, blued steel hands, cabochon crown and softly rounded case capture the pared-back elegance for which the Vendôme line is known.
Why It’s Special
The Must de Cartier line made Cartier’s design vocabulary available in gold-plated sterling silver rather than solid precious metal, a defining strategy for the house from the 1970s onward. The Vendôme’s round case and split-lug design reference Paris’s Place Vendôme, while the 590003 is the larger format of the line. Retaining its period set adds useful context for collectors seeking a complete example of this accessible-vintage Cartier icon.
Condition
Ivory lacquer dial is clean, with crisp Roman numerals, a well-defined chemin de fer minute track and no visible cracking or spidering. Blued steel hands retain strong colour. Mineral crystal has only light surface wear. The vermeil case (sterling silver 925 with ≈ 20 µm gold plating) retains an even tone with light hairlines and minor discolouration near the lugs; no significant brassing is visible. Case-back engravings and blue cabochon crown remain well preserved. Original Cartier brown leather strap shows moderate wear and an additional punched hole; original Cartier buckle is retained.
Performance
Quartz movement running correctly.
Details
Reference: 590003 Movement: Cartier quartz Serial: 098906 Case: 30 mm vermeil (sterling silver 925 with ≈ 20 µm gold plating) Crystal: Mineral glass Strap: Original Cartier brown leather strap with Cartier buckle Inclusions: Full set – inner box, outer box, papers and manuals Provenance: Sourced from Japan and inspected in Melbourne
