WatchesMay 11, 2022
Phillips’ Geneva Watch Auction Was a White Glove Sale AuctionsJul 13, 2022
‘Unicorn’ Cartier Watch Hits the Auction Block
Only four models of the Cartier Cheich watch were ever produced, and Sotheby’s Paris is offering one of them.
This 1983 Cartier Cheich watch, one of four in existence, is the first to appear at auction. Sotheby’s Paris will offer the rare timepiece this September.
Paris—A rare and important Cartier wristwatch is headed to Sotheby’s Paris this September.
The auction house will offer the 1983 Cartier Cheich watch—what it’s calling a “watch unicorn”—on Sept. 30 as part of its Luxury Edit sale series.
The model has a history steeped in racing lore that begins with the Paris-Dakar race, also known as the Dakar Rally.
The Race That Inspired the Cartier Challenge
Started in 1978, the Paris-Dakar race originally began in Paris, France and ended in Dakar, Senegal, traveling some 10,000 kilometers, or 6,214 miles. (Today, the Dakar rally is held in Saudia Arabia after a decade in South America.)
Motorcycle racer Thierry Sabine conceived the Paris-Dakar rally after becoming lost during a race in the Libyan desert and falling in love with the landscape.
He opened the Paris-Dakar to any motorized land vehicle, amateur or professional. The grueling race took 20 days, with racers camping out along the way.
On Paris-Dakar’s fifth anniversary in 1983, Sabine partnered with Cartier’s then-president Alain Dominique Perrin on the Cartier Challenge.
It required a racer to win the race twice in consecutive years, with the same form of transport both years, i.e. motorcycle, car, or truck.
Only one contender was able to fulfill the Cartier Challenge—Belgian Gaston Rahier won in 1984 and 1985 by motorbike.
Rahier’s illustrious career nearly ended in 1982 when he came close to losing his hand in a motorbike accident. Determined to recover, he participated in his first Paris-Dakar rally the following year in 1983.
He was the first non-French person to win the race in 1984, and the first and only winner of the Cartier Challenge when he repeated the effort in 1985.
His victory was marked with a bespoke Cartier Cheich watch.
The Timepiece
Jacques Diltoer, the then-creative director of Cartier and Perrin, designed the Cartier Cheich in ode to the Paris-Dakar mascot, which depicted the silhouetted face of a Tuareg person, the Berber ethnic group that inhabits the Sahara, in traditional robes that protect from the desert sun, called the cheich.
Only four models of the Cartier Cheich were ever made. Two were created in 1983: the one awarded to Rahier that Sotheby’s is auctioning, and a ladies’ edition in case of a potential female winner.
A third edition was created in 1985 for a possible future champion.
Then-President Perrin had a fourth made for Paris-Dakar creator Sabine. This final edition is thought to have been given to a French motorbike race driver named Hubert Auriol but is believed to be lost.
Each of the four timepieces has unique elements.
Cartier designed the Cheich wristwatch to resemble the Paris-Dakar Rally mascot. The case depicts the cheich, or head robes, the Tuareg people traditionally wear in the Sahara to protect from the desert sun.
Rahier’s Cartier Cheich comes in its original box designed for the Cartier Challenge winner.
Rahier won the Cartier Challenge in 1985, having won the Paris-Dakar rally that year and the year before.
The Cartier Cheich’s elaborate case incorporates yellow, white, and rose gold.
The Cartier Challenge ended in 1986. That year, Sabine died in a helicopter crash in Mali resulting from a sandstorm during the Paris-Dakar rally.
Cartier has possession of the two remaining Cartier Cheich watches. According to Sotheby’s, the Cartier Cheich that Rahier won is the only one that will ever appear at market.
The cheich-inspired case is the most significant design departure from any other Cartier timepiece.
The unique shape required new engineering as it couldn’t accommodate the usual bars that screw through the lugs to attach to the strap. The back of the main case was carved with a special fixture that holds the strap in place.
While the case is unusual, it’s not the first to incorporate asymmetric elements. The Tank Asymétrique and Cartier Crash watches are examples of other asymmetric styles.
The Cheich case is rendered in 18-karat yellow gold with elements of 18-karat rose gold and 18-karat white gold, another Cartier signature as seen in styles like the Trinity rings.
The dial depicts a rectangular rail track with baton and Roman indexes as well as two blued-steel hands in classic Cartier Paris style.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
The Rahier Cartier Cheich is in pristine condition, according to Sotheby’s. Rahier’s family is offering the timepiece for sale, and it hasn’t been presented in public in almost 40 years. It even comes in its original box featuring a curved triangular shape designed in homage to desert dunes.
Under the Cartier signature, “Trophée Paris Alger Dakar” is inscribed.
Now, it is on view at Sotheby’s Monaco gallery through July 17. It will be exhibited in Paris prior to the Sept. 30 sale.
Sotheby’s estimates the Cartier Cheich watch will sell between €200,000 to €400,000, or approximately $200,749 to $401,498 per current exchange rates.
More on Auctions
The Latest
Events & AwardsMar 17, 2025
Gem Awards Honor All Facets of the IndustryFrom retailers to designers and the media, the fine jewelry industry recognized one another’s work and looked to the future.
Events & AwardsMar 17, 2025
GIA Names Winner of Emerging Jewelry Design Talent AwardEleanor H. Yeh is the recipient of the eighth annual Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation Award for Excellence in Jewelry Design.
MajorsMar 17, 2025
Tous Names U.S. Managing Director, VPJoseph Cavalcante takes on the dual role as the Spanish jewelry brand looks to expand further into the U.S. market.
Brought to you by
Watch: GIA Field Gemology at the One-Hundredth Expedition: A Look Back and to the FutureSupplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA
Events & AwardsMar 17, 2025
CBG Expands Las Vegas Show to 3 DaysThe trade show has also upgraded its venue to the Caesars Forum Conference Center.
Weekly QuizMar 14, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsMar 14, 2025
Stafford’s Diamonds in Ohio to Close After 40 YearsThe Dayton-based jeweler, which has been in business since 1985, was formerly known as Stafford Jewelers.
Events & AwardsMar 14, 2025
JVC Reveals Recipient of Stanley Schechter AwardReeds Jewelers CEO Alan Zimmer will be presented with the honor at JVC’s annual luncheon.
Brought to you by
Natural Diamonds Should Mean MoreNatural diamonds mean more than lab-grown, but when every cut is ideal, they all look the same. Customers want more—Facets of Fire delivers.
CollectionsMar 14, 2025
Piece of the Week: Sorellina’s Aries Zodiac PendantThe piece, celebrating birthdays from March 21 to April 19, debuted with Sorellina’s new line of astrological pendants.
MajorsMar 13, 2025
Tanishq Opens 2 New Stores in the U.S.The Indian jewelry brand recently opened stores in Atlanta and Seattle.
FinancialsMar 13, 2025
Brilliant Earth’s 2024 Sales Struggled Amid Engagement RecoveryCEO Beth Gerstein shared its most popular price points, what’s trending in non-bridal fine jewelry, and its holiday performance.
CollectionsMar 13, 2025
Chopard Unveils High Jewelry Collection Created From 6,225-Carat Emerald The 15 pieces were crafted from the “Insofu” emerald, discovered in Zambia in 2010.
MajorsMar 13, 2025
Jewelers Mutual Names New CFO, TreasurerChris Anderson is joining the insurance provider as the new chief financial officer and treasurer.
Lab-GrownMar 13, 2025
JA Offering Some ‘Counter Intelligence’ on Diamonds Jewelers of America is distributing a brochure for retailers to use when discussing the differences between natural and lab-grown diamonds.
SourcingMar 12, 2025
5 Factors That Will Impact the Diamond Industry in 2025The industry is changing as it grapples with new realities around distribution, supply, and the need for consistent, effective marketing.
SourcingMar 12, 2025
Q&A: New GJEPC Chairman Kirit BhansaliBhansali discusses the potential impact of U.S. tariffs, demand for diamonds by market, and the “cautious confidence” in India right now.
Lab-GrownMar 12, 2025
Beyond Jewelry: Possibilities in the Lab-Grown Diamond SectorAs lab-grown diamond brands pop up across India, academics are researching how to grow demand outside of the jewelry industry.
SourcingMar 12, 2025
Indian Leader, Retailer Among 2025 DDG Honorees Govind Dholakia and Tanishq will be recognized for their contributions to the industry at the Diamonds Do Good Awards in Las Vegas.
IndependentsMar 12, 2025
Marla Aaron Migrates to LondonThe New York City-based brand has opened its first U.K. location with a permanent shop-in-shop at Liberty in London.
Events & AwardsMar 12, 2025
JA New York Announces Education, Live Demo LineupsOrganizers looked to new partnerships and interactive experiences to enhance the spring show, set for March 16 to 18.
Events & AwardsMar 12, 2025
Bogolo Joy Kenewendo to Speak at Annual JVC LuncheonKenewendo, Botswana’s minister of minerals and energy, will discuss the future of diamonds.
CrimeMar 11, 2025
Man in Florida Swallows Allegedly Stolen Tiffany & Co. Jewelry The suspect allegedly stole almost $800,000 worth of diamond jewelry from a store in Orlando and then swallowed it during a traffic stop.
ColumnistsMar 11, 2025
Creative Connecting: How to Pose on the Red CarpetAhead of the Gem Awards on Friday, Jen Cullen Williams and Duvall O’Steen share pro tips for taking the best photos.
CollectionsMar 11, 2025
Marco Bicego Celebrates 25 Years With Collection, CampaignFounded in 2000, Marco Bicego is commemorating its milestone anniversary with a “25 Best” collection and campaigns honoring its heritage.
TechnologyMar 11, 2025
Hill & Co. Launches New B2B Buyer DatabaseThose attending the company’s upcoming Zoom workshop will receive early access to “The List,” its new resource for finding buyers.
Events & AwardsMar 11, 2025
JSA to Honor GIA Employee at Annual LuncheonThe organization will present an award to Amy-Elise Signeavsky, law enforcement and diamond recovery manager at GIA.
MajorsMar 10, 2025
Terry Chandler to Retire After 24 Years as Head of DCA Chandler started his jewelry career at Michelson Jewelers, joining the Diamond Council of America as president and CEO in 2001.
