Hello once again Jinzhe Li,
Thank you for sending in your Cartier travel alarm clock to mearto.com for an appraisal. As you can see, we are here day and night to be of assistance.
TITLE:
Gilt brass, quartz, travel alarm clock with folding stand, case no. (illegible), made in Switzerland for Cartier Jewelers of Paris, circa 1990s.
DESCRIPTION:
Case – 78mm diameter x 22mm thickness, round, polished gilt brass travel clock case with rounded bezel and brushed brass screwed down back cover with a three-knuckle hinged, fluted base with fold down gilt brass shaped stand. The clock is set into a fitted red and white Cartier case with brass clasp which is accompanied by proper booklets and certification papers. . .
Dial - White enameled dial with painted radial Roman hours, closed outer minute track, black steel epee (sword) hands and white baton hand for the alarm. The upper dial is marked, ‘Cartier’. . .
Movement – The outside casing forms the back of the clock case and has a knob for setting the time, a blue cabochon knob for setting time and another for setting the alarm and turning it on and off. The movement itself is a timed and standardized, Swiss made battery operated quartz movement. . .
Condition: Complete set and the clock in very fine condition with no damage or signs of wear. Dial, case and movement triple signed. . .
Historical Nostalgia:
Travel clocks tend to be associated with old-fashioned luxury travel, a personal trinket to place on a nightstand aboard an ocean liner or on a safari. They hark back to a time when travel wasn’t about packed airplanes or cruise ships with multiple decks and 5,000 passengers. The past is certainly part of Cartier’s travel clock offering, but so is the present. This Parisian jeweler began creating them in the 1920s, had a resurgence of popularity in the 1960s/70s, and current models adapt to a very different way of life.
Yes, they can still be bought along on travel but today they often stay home and improve the look in that location by using them as a desk or boudoir clock. There is a sense of nostalgia about travel clocks, especially if they have been in the family for many years. You do not get that feeling with any smart phone, no matter how costly it is. . .
Comparing this example to others (which are not complete sets as you have), leads me to believe that the fair market value would be $350-$450 in todays market. Retail prices can be as much as 2-3 times higher.
Thank you again for using the mearto service. It is always a pleasure to be of service.
My best,
David