Pre-Owned Pierre Cardin Espace 40991199/AS08064

WHY WE LOVE IT

–

In contemporary watch collecting, the radical designs of the 1970s are often overlooked in favor of the classic silhouettes of the 1950s and 1960s. And we think that’s a shame.

Back in the Grooviest Decade, industrial designers, fashion houses, and creatives of all stripes were experimenting with Space Age shapes inspired by man’s journey into…well…space! The Moon Landings of 1969 occupied the zeitgeist for decades to come — indeed, if you’re an Omega Speedmaster collector, they still do — and saw the creation of art that departed from the restrained, midcentury norms of the day into something flamboyant, colorful, and fun.

1970s watchmaking proved no exception to this playful experimentation. Pierre Cardin, a then-highly influential figure in womenswear who licensed his eponymous maison’s name to all sorts of products, created a line of 26 androgynous timepieces cased in plastic and steel and powered by hand-wound movements from Jaeger. Unlike contemporary pieces from the likes of Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe — which were often cased in precious metals — these funky watches remain highly affordable.

This particular Pierre Cardin Espace is housed in a 46.6mm egg-shaped, stainless steel case with a polished bezel, a hidden, unsigned crown at 3 o’clock, an acrylic crystal, a satin silver dial with painted black ‘baton’ indices, and a black ‘pencil’ handset. Powered by the manually wound FHF36 movement from Fabrique d'Horlogerie Fontainemelon, a Swiss ébauché manufacturer that was eventually subsumed into ETA in 1985, it bears the ‘Jaeger’ signature on its caseback, attesting to its French — rather than Swiss — origins. 

Paired to a blue and white vinyl and leather one-piece strap with a stainless steel pin buckle, this avant garde timepiece mixes traditional watchmaking elements with design touches scarcely seen in today's more traditional horological atmosphere. 

If you’re the type of intrepid soul who craves a funkier piece of wrist candy, then snatch this bad boy up before someone else has the same idea!

OVERALL CONDITION

The case is in good condition overall showing normal signs of wear consistent with age and use with visible factory finishing. Brushed grey dial with printed 'baton' indices is in very good condition with matching handset. Unsigned hidden crown.