Fine French white gold keyless mystery watch Circa 1970

White gold accompanied by Cartier chain
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A very fine French, white gold keyless mystery watch, accompanied by original matching Cartier chain, circa 1970. No. 2 of a limited series. Knife edge polished case with an eccentric aperture for the mystery hands with champlevé Roman chapter on the periphery. Clear sapphire dial. Square movement with canted corners, 34 x 34 mm., rhodium plated, Geneva striping decoration, 17 jewels, straight line lever escapement, mono metallic balance with self compensating flat balance spring, Incablock shockproof protection on both balance pivots, aperture below the train for sapphire discs holding the hands.
Signed on case and movement.
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Diameter: 50 mm
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Signed: Cartier  Paris
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A very intelligently built watch. The idea for this type of mystery mechanism came from Armand Schwob & Frère à Paris and was patented on 24 January 1889. Cartier furthered the idea, employing a large, high quality movement with an opening in the middle. Cartier made very few examples of these watches.