Cartier Roadster watches

Cartier first introduced the Roadster in 2001, making it one of the company's youngest watch series. For comparison, they have been producing models like the Santos since 1904 and the Tank since 1917. The Roadster is now only available as a pre-owned watch since Cartier stopped producing it in 2012, much to the disappointment of many fans.

Like its older sister models, the Roadster is a dress watch that goes perfectly with a suit and tie. Dress watches are suitable for both formal and festive occasions such as the opera, business meetings, and receptions. However, the Roadster pairs just as nicely with a tux as it does with a T-shirt.

Cartier made the Roadster in several sizes. The most popular men's model is 43x38 mm. Women's watches are usually 36x30 mm. As for materials, the Roadster comes with the choice of a stainless steel or yellow, white, or pink gold case. Most watches feature an ETA-based automatic movement, though there are also models available with quartz movements. The Roadster is water resistant to 100 m (10 bar, 328 ft), making it a suitable everyday watch.

Are you looking for a dress watch with a barrel-shaped (tonneau) case? Cartier's Roadster has prestige and an elegant design that is typical of this manufacturer.

The Roadster is only available as a pre-owned timepiece since Cartier ceased its production in 2012. However, most watches are in good to very good condition. Smaller stainless steel models with three hands and a quartz movement represent the entry point into this collection. Their sizes make them a great option for women . Plan to spend between 1,900 and 2,100 USD for a timepiece in very good condition. Women's watches with automatic movements cost about 230 USD more.

Prices for men's Roadster models begin around 2,600 USD. This will get you a classic three-hand watch in stainless steel or the rather sporty Roadster S. Cartier coated the bezel of the Roadster S with a layer of extra scratch-resistant black ADLC . The timepiece also comes without a Cyclops lens. A black rubber strap keeps this watch safely on your wrist.

Models with gold cases require a much larger investment, with prices starting in the 5,000 to 6,000 USD range. Timepieces featuring diamonds occupy the top of the price range. Women's watches with diamond-studded bezels typically sell for between 11,700 and 17,600 USD. Rare Roadsters, such as pink gold men's watches with 40x55-mm cases, often cost over 23,400 USD.

The Roadster has the eponymous sports cars from the 1950s and 60s to thank for its name and design. The curved lines of its barrel-shaped case resemble those of an aerodynamic roadster. Sunken screws on the lugs look like the headlights of classic cars such as the Alpha Romeo Spider and the Aston Martin Racing. Even the crown's design was inspired by classic cars, namely by the fins found on classic Cadillacs. This look is only enhanced by the seamless transition between the raised portion of the case, the crown, and the Cyclops lens on the sapphire glass.

Cartier outfitted some Roadster dials with their characteristic Roman numerals and others with Arabic numerals. The latter dial design is known among fans as the roulette or Las Vegas dial and is meant to resemble the speedometer of the Porsche 356 Speedster. This dial only appears on three-hand models, while the chronograph versions only feature dials with Roman numerals. However, this has no effect on the sportiness of the chronograph models, as their subdials at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock are like small versions of the roulette dial.