Collectible Vintage Pierre Cardin Espace Wristwatch from the 1970s, which features a distinctive Space Age brushed stainless steel case and a Jaeger-LeCoultre movement with cloth strap.

In contemporary watch collecting, the radical designs of the 1970s are often overlooked in favor of the classic silhouettes of the 1950s and 1960s. 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 rectangular, 29mm brushed and mirror-finished stainless steel case with a signed crown and an acrylic crystal. It features a brushed and mirror-finished dial without indices and a dark grey ‘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 case back, attesting to its French — rather than Swiss — origins.

Pierre Cardin (1922–2020) was an Italian-born French fashion designer revolutionary for his avant-garde, Space Age style, featuring geometric shapes and, often, unisex designs. Founded in 1950, the brand pioneered ready-to-wear, licensing its name extensively.

Condition: Just Serviced. Watch in Working Condition. This Watch has recently been checked. The case is in excellent condition overall showing normal signs of wear consistent with age and use with visible factory finishing. Polished and brushed steel dial is in excellent condition with matching handset. Signed crown. Note: Vintage Watches of this Period can vary 1-2 +/- Minutes Per Day. This is normal. The watch will have visual and physical cues typical of an item that has been used and handled. At House of Craven Auctions, we work hard to identify all issues that we believe you would look for if you saw the item in person. If you have any doubt, enquires or need more information, then e-mail us BEFORE you Bid. Give us time to see and answer your email before the closing time. Please contact us if you have any further question or enquire about this Auction Lot. This watch has recently been checked. However, shipping can be unkind to watches. We do check the watch to be certain it keeps time and runs when the watch is listed and we re-check the watch before it is shipped. There is no warranty on the running and considering this is a vintage watch, it is possible that an adjustment or servicing may be necessary. Condition: Notwithstanding this report or any discussion concerning condition of a Lot, all Lots are offered and sold As Is, Where Is, in accordance with our Conditions of Sale. All Auction Lots are available for a FaceTime viewing, by appointment, with one of our Team Members on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, or Wednesday, March 18, 2026. To schedule a FaceTime appointment, please email us: craven@houseofcraven.com.