Taking a Second Look: The Cartier Pebble

In October of 2022, Cartier announced the limited-edition re-release of one of its lesser known designs, the Pebble. Prior to last year’s revival, only six examples of the Pebble are estimated to have been released by the brand. Also known as the "Baseball" for its round case shape, the Pebble design was released in 1973, just six years after the release of the now celebrity-favorited Crash. Today, at a time when vintage-inspiration is inseparable from contemporary design, the Pebble is back and bringing all of its historic flare along. 

Little has changed about the overall design of the Pebble in its revival. It still sports a round, yellow gold case, though this time opting for a diameter of 36mm, a 0.5mm increase from the diameter of the original. The case is not circular on its edge and flat on either side like many watches are, however, instead it takes a rounded shape until the point it meets the dial, mimicking the shape of a pebble. Completing the design is a small fluted crown set with a blue sapphire, a detail that is familiar to the Cartier design code.

Perhaps most recognizable about the time-tested Pebble design is its tilted square dial against the silhouette of the round case. The dial has rounded corners to maintain the softness of the case design, also helping to offset its unusual off-kilter orientation. In true Cartier fashion, the eggshell colored dial is decorated only with Roman numeral indices and a square minute-indicating track. The rich blue hue of the sword-shaped hands elegantly ties in the sapphire on the crown.

Inside the coveted pebble-like case ticks the hand-wound 430MC. It is a time-only mechanism based off of the caliber 430P, and has become a frequented choice for Cartier watches. The new Pebble sits at only 6.3mm high on the wrist, a svelte height made possible by the ultra-thin 2.1mm footprint of the movement. When fully wound, the caliber 430MC offers a power reserve of 38 hours.

Limited to 150 examples, the Cartier Pebble (ref. WGPB0003) became available for purchase in November 2022 with pricing marked at $44,700.

To learn more, visit Cartier here.