Pierre Cardin Espace

In contemporary watch collecting, the radical designs of the 1970s are often overlooked in favor of the classic silhouettes of the 1950s and 1960s. And we think that’s a shame.

Back in the Grooviest Decade, industrial designers, fashion houses, and creatives of all stripes were experimenting with Space Age shapes inspired by man’s journey into…well…space! The Moon Landings of 1969 occupied the zeitgeist for decades to come — indeed, if you’re an Omega Speedmaster collector, they still do — and saw the creation of art that departed from the restrained, midcentury norms of the day into something flamboyant, colorful, and fun.

1970s watchmaking proved no exception to this playful experimentation. Pierre Cardin, a then-highly influential figure in womenswear who licensed his eponymous maison’s name to all sorts of products, created a line of 26 androgynous timepieces cased in plastic and steel and powered by hand-wound movements from Jaeger. Unlike contemporary pieces from the likes of Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe — which were often cased in precious metals — these funky watches remain highly affordable. 

This particular Pierre Cardin Espace is housed in a square, 37.5mm stainless steel and gold-plated case with a polished, gold-plated bezel, an unsigned crown at 3 o’clock, and an acrylic crystal. It features a brushed, satin silver dial with gold ‘quadrant’ indices and a gold ‘baton’ handset. Powered by the manually wound FHF36 movement from Fabrique d'Horlogerie Fontainemelon, a Swiss ébauché manufacturer that was eventually subsumed into ETA in 1985, it bears the ‘Jaeger’ signature on its caseback, attesting to its French — rather than Swiss — origins.

Paired to an Italian-made, black leather one-piece strap with contrasting top stitching and a stainless steel pin buckle, it’s far and away one of the coolest examples of a two-tone timepiece that’s come across our desks. 

Don’t let this one slip away!

Watches probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when one considers the Italian-born, French dressmaker, industrial designer, and man-about-town Pierre Cardin. In love with dressmaking from a young age, Cardin was first and foremost a fashion aficionado and purveyor of haute couture. Though when haute couture itself gave way to net-a-porter in the mid-20th century, Cardin adapted to the times — as he did frequently throughout his life — and made the transition to ready-to-wear.
However, Cardin quickly made clear that high fashion wasn’t the be-all, end-all of his career. In 1971 the respected designer launched the Espace Collection of watches based on space age motifs, incorporating hand-wound movements from LeCoultre into futuristic cases in shapes that would make even a dedicated futurist’s head spin. Wild and uncompromising, these timepieces wear just as outlandish as the shaped watches then hailing from haute horlogerie maisons such as Patek Philippe and Piaget — but they were much more affordable.
Today, Cardin’s watches remain largely relegated to the fringes of collectible horology, though famed, notable collectors such as Auro Montanari (‘John Goldberger’) have been advocating for them for years. Made of steel, plastic, vinyl, and other distinctly ’70s materials, they’re a testament not only to the forward-thinking nature of the Italo-French designer’s creative mind, but fun, left-of-center design objects in and of themselves — and they’re available at terrific prices.

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Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.