1970s Cartier Paris Tortue 18K YG (Ref. 96069) "Extra Plate"

The Cartier name is synonymous with luxury and has been since the brand's inception in 1847. Offering bespoke and unique jewelry to the world’s elite allowed Cartier to grow steadily through the 19th century and eventually introduced new offerings to their clientele.

Among the ranks of the Tank Normale, Santos-Dumont, and the Baignoire, the Tortue is one of the early original designs introduced by Louis Cartier. Debuting in 1912 with a name that directly translates to "tortoise" in English, the Tortue became an instant classic within Cartier's offerings and has been reinvented by the Maison time and time again throughout the brand's history. While the first version of the Trotue was a time-only model, perhaps the most famous version of the Tortue is the mono-pusher chronograph or the "monopoussoir" which was introduced in 1929 alongside a minute repeater version. 

This reference of the Cartier Tortue is best known amongst collectors as the "Extra Plate" or "Extra Thin" and is one of the thinnest Cartier watches ever produced and features a total thickness of 5mm. This impressive feat is achieved through the utilization of the renowned Frederic Piaget Cal. 21 ultra-thin mechanical movement. Though this Cartier Tortue "Extra Plate" is one of the thinnest watches Cartier ever made, it retains the standard height and width dimensions of the Tortue in this era, making for a perfectly proportioned timepiece.