The history of the Pasha de Cartier is shrouded in mystery. Yes, the watch is named after the Pasha of Marrakesh, Thami El Glaoui. And it's also true that he commissioned a waterproof watch from Louis Cartier in the early 1930s so he could wear it swimming. Another fact is that in 1933, the Pasha got his desired watch. But here is where the mystery begins. No one knows exactly what the watch looked like, though experts point in the direction of the water-resistant gold Tank |tanche. What we do know is that the watch didn't look like the Pasha we know today. The G |rald Genta-designed Pasha de Cartier only debuted in 1985. And when it did, it fit right into the decade of greed. With its exuberant looks and hedonist feel, it defined the 80s. And with a revival of the 80s now in full swing, the Pasha De Cartier is ready for the throne again.The Pasha de Cartier was introduced smack in the middle of the 80s in 1985. The 1980s were years when technology advanced with lightning speed and gave us things like the Commodore 64, the Space Shuttle, Chicken McNuggets, and the artificial heart. It was the era of Thatcher, Reagan, and Gorbatsjov, and also a period in time when hair-dos were big and high, and New Wave, punk rock, and groundbreaking rap music blasted out of your speakers. While wearing leg warmers, fingerless gloves, bright neon shades, and mesh tops, of course.?- the Pasha de Cartier embodies the frenetic Zeitgeist.The 1980s were a time when hedonism was in full swing. And the Pasha de Cartier embodies the frenetic Zeitgeist. The man who sculpted the Pasha was none other than the designer of the Royal Oak and Nautilus, G |rald Genta. The designer was briefed to create a sports watch, and he did. And then he did just a little bit more.
The original Pasha de Cartier from 1985 in yellow goldThe Pasha De Cartier reclaims its throne, and it doesn't play by the rules to do soWhat the Pasha de Cartier does is bring together a period in time that is still fresh in people's memories with a designer that is now regarded as the GOAT. Genta-designed watches are in hot demand, and so are Cartier watches in general. Why? I think mainly because Cartier is a world-famous symbol of luxury and status. Wear a Cartier watch be it a Tank Am |ricaine, Santos, or any other model in real life and on Instagram, and everybody will notice it. And not only notice it, but will also perceive it as a luxurious, classy, and tasteful object, a must-have for almost every generation. A white dial with Roman numerals is archetypal Cartier, and it's a unique look that won't go unnoticed. But the Pasha doesn't play by the Cartier rule book.
Yellow gold 38.5mm Pasha de Cartier reference 1021 with a uni-directional rotating bezel from around 1990 Picture courtesy of ChristiesThe Pasha de Cartier is a mix of pure 1980s glam and a touch of athleticismThe round Pasha stands out like a sore thumb in Cartier's rectangular watch collection. Genta created a 38mm round watch with a square on the dial that forgoes the characteristic Roman numerals for Arabic ones. The broad diving bezel refers to the Pasha in the pool, and the decorative crown construction is also functional as it keeps water out of the case. It may be a paradox, but because it was so different, the Pasha de Cartier was overlooked for a while by aficionados and collectors.
Pasha de Cartier Chronograph Ref. 2113 Picture courtesy of XupesAlso, the fact that the Pasha isn't a constant presence in the Cartier collection doesn't help. In 2012, the Pasha disappeared from the collection, only to make a come-back in 2020. An absence of eight years will have a watch disappear from the spotlight. And it was in the spotlight that the Pasha excelled. The watch was an instant hit with the rich and famous, and stars like Sammy Davis Jr. and fashion designer Valentino famously wore a Pasha. The watch is 80s glam in its finest form.
Pasha de Cartier GMT Ref. 2550 Picture courtesy of XupesSearching for the right PashaAfter typing in Cartier Pasha, I get 1,386 search results on Chrono24. Interestingly, there are a lot of Pashas for sale in Japan, and prices for steel models start around 1,750. The 35mm Meridian GMT Small Date Automatic (Ref. W31029M7) for 1,886 is a sporty and stylish timepiece that loves to travel. The yellow gold 38mm Power Reserve GMT (Ref. W3014456) is a 21,224 watch that also loves to travel, but only flies first class and stays in five-star hotels. And there are tons of more variations out there. There's the chronograph that looks logical, the golf watch that looks way more unusual there's a NOS yellow gold Pasha Golf Automatic on sale on Chrono24 for 41,900 and the perpetual calendar (Ref. W3000351) that looks complicated with stylish ease theres one on Chrono24 with a leather strap for just under 26K.
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Ahmed Abd el gafer
February 03, 2022
