<p>We promise to invest our time and experience into understanding your needs and desires. We won’t &#8230;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>Expect you to have lots of knowledge</li>
<li>Drown you in more detail than you need</li>
<li>Try to push a sale on you</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Our aim is to make you feel relaxed and welcome, and to enjoy the Oakleigh Watches experience from start to finish.</p>
<div></div>


insidemechanismclockworkwithworkinggears-close-updetailed-3drendering

The oakleigh promise

Cartier watches are made in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

Where are Cartier watches made?

Cartier and Longines are both long established Swiss brands with distinct styling differences.  The choice between the two comes down to personal taste.

Which is better &#8211; Cartier or Longines watches?

Most Cartier watches are water resistant if they are properly maintained.

Are Cartier watches waterproof?

The blue stone or ‘Cabochon’ on the crown of most Cartier watches is a genuine Sapphire.

What is the blue stone on Cartier watches?

Cartier watches are bought by watch lovers who want something stylish and different from the norm. If bought pre-owned, then they can hold their value well.

Are pre owned Cartier watches a good investment?

View All Insights

patek-381x518-copy

patek 381x518 copy

How much is my watch worth?

160314184621-watch-testing-deep-sea-rolex-3

Best Dive Watches - 12 of our Favourites

1x1-7523

Can I go swimming in a luxury watch?

“Can I go swimming in a luxury watch?”

This is a question that I am often asked by our clients. Of course what they are referring to is whether their watch is water resistant – will it leak and ruin the movement, dial and hands?

There are usually three areas that need to be considered when the water resistance of a watch is under examination;
<ul>
 	<li>the caseback</li>
 	<li>the glass</li>
 	<li>the crown</li>
</ul>
During testing, these three components are checked for condition and damage or corrosion. Next the seals fitted between the component and the case are inspected and often replaced. The watch is then pressure tested using a purpose built piece of equipment. When it passes – voila! Your watch is waterproof.

So yes, if it passes the test, you CAN go swimming in a luxury watch. But hang on, there’s another question that needs to be asked ……

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8735" src="https://cms.oakleighwatches.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Swim2.jpg" alt="" width="943" height="530" />

<strong>“SHOULD I go swimming in a luxury watch?”
</strong>
All the watches that we sell here at Oakleigh Watches are superb examples of their type and are all of course very valuable.

I can’t imagine a more hostile environment for a luxury watch than a beach with its salt and sand, or a swimming pool full of chlorine, steel and ceramic tiles. And that’s before you even mention the water! So our advice would be – “yes you can swim in a luxury watch but NO, you probably shouldn’t.”

If you’re at the pool or the beach – relax, forget about the time! Or, if you’re like me and feel a bit lost without something stylish on your wrist, switch your luxury time piece for a much more practical G-Shock!

Oakleigh Watches works alongside local Rolex and Omega service agents <a href="https://www.michlmayr.com/?_ga=2.204148883.2033394945.1721402847-623201293.1721402847">Michlmayr &amp; Co.</a> All of our luxury pre-owned watches are tested to ensure they are water resistant and comply to COSC spec. Some of our more vintage stock will not be water resistant and this will be made clear in the description.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

the-tudor-big-block-listing

The-Tudor-Big-Block-listing

In 1970 Tudor entered the chronograph market with a watch that was very different from its Rolex Daytona brethren – The two incarnations of the ’Monte-Carlo’ were bold, bright and colourful and occupied their own place in the Rolex family lineup, as a slightly inferior model to the Daytona.

Then in 1976 there was a shift and the ‘Big Blocks’ were born. Far from establishing a point of difference from the Rolex Daytona by continuing with the ‘fun’ slightly ‘junior’ theme, Tudor made a watch that was similar to the Daytona and in one key way, actually superior….

As well as toning down the colour palette and producing monochrome chronographs (although exotic-dialed 9000-series ‘Big Block Monte Carlos’ were made), Tudor adopted the Valjoux 7750 movement, not only adding an extra chrono sub dial but also a quick set date and an automatic movement. This automatic movement made the Big Block the first self-winding chronographs from the Rolex group – it would take Rolex themselves well over ten years to make an automatic Daytona and 25 years to make one with an in house movement.

As well as an advanced set of features, the Valjoux movement brought with it the necessity for a deeper case than its predecessors to house the self-winding mechanism and rotor, hence the nickname “Big Block”.

The first Big Blocks were the 9400’s consisting of three references that gave the option of three different bezels:
<ul class="ul1">
 	<li class="li1">9420 with an acrylic tachymeter bezel</li>
 	<li class="li1">9421 with a 12-hour calibrated rotating bezel</li>
 	<li class="li1">9430 with a steel tachymeter bezel</li>
</ul>
In the late 1980’s, the 9400 series was replaced by the 79100 series of Big Blocks and again, there were three references with three bezel types:
<ul class="ul1">
 	<li class="li1">79160 with a black plastic tachymeter bezel</li>
 	<li class="li1">79170 with a black graduated 12-hour rotating bezel;</li>
 	<li class="li1">79180 with a steel tachymeter bezel.</li>
</ul>
<p class="p1">By the mid 1990’s Montres TUDOR S.A. was 50 years old and they started to made decisive moves to differentiate themselves from their Rolex brothers. As a consequence the direct references to Rolex were steadily disappearing from the cases, winding crowns and bracelets of Tudor watches to be replaced with own brand alternatives and the day of the Big Block was over.</p>
<p class="p1">An important watch and often overlooked, the Big Blocks are one to watch that’s for sure</p>

The Tudor ‘Big Block’

<strong>How it all began ….</strong>

I’ve written here before about my entry into the world of luxury watches which was mainly down to my dad and my older brother in the 1980s. When I was a trainee bank manager in the early 1990s, I found myself in a position to buy my very own luxury watch. So it was that I found myself on Saturday morning at Munsey &amp; Co in Cambridge, with the intention of buying a Rolex. I discovered that I couldn’t afford a Submariner or a GMT Master. The £2500 or so that they cost was over my budget, so I remember looking at the Oyster Perpetual and the Datejust. At the time I felt they just lacked a certain something that I was looking for.

&nbsp;

Obviously, I was disappointed, so I asked what else they had and was shown the Cartier Santos that you see in these pictures. I bought the watch and wore it every day for over 10 years, regularly having it serviced and the battery replaced. In the early 2000’s I fancied a change so bought a Cartier Pasha and sold the Santos to a good friend.

&nbsp;

<strong>31 years later ….</strong>

Over the years, watches became an increasingly important part of my life. When Oakleigh began in 2013, I started mentioning to my friend that I would like to buy the Cartier back if he ever wanted to sell.

&nbsp;

He held out for a long while and having owned the watch for over 20 years he approached me recently and said that he was ready to part with it. Of course, I jumped at the chance to buy my old Santos back.

&nbsp;

I’ll be honest, it’s had a tough 20 years and is in serious need of some TLC.

&nbsp;

I was however delighted to see that it is still absolutely complete in every way. All of the boxes, manuals, papers, wallets, everything. It even has six lots of service documents from over the years, all of which are in my name.

&nbsp;

<strong>Serendipity</strong>

I bought the Cartier back on the 13th of July 2022. It wasn’t until I got home with the watch that another friend pointed out that the Saturday morning when I had visited Cambridge to buy my watch was the 13th of July 1991 – exactly 31 years to the day previously!

&nbsp;

I do believe to some extent in serendipity and even if I didn’t, I would have to admit, that’s a hell of a coincidence.

&nbsp;

My Cartier went straight into the <a href="https://www.michlmayr.com/">Michlmayr</a> workshops for a full service, a good clean and refurbishment and to source a replacement clasp for the bracelet. A month later it was back with me and as you can see from the photos, looking rather better.

&nbsp;

I may rarely, if ever, wear it but this watch is special to me and the Massingham family won’t be parting with it anytime soon…

My first Proper Watch

1x1-8159

Cartier Roadster XL Chronograph

Availability

Brand

Model

What's Included

Condition

Reference

Years

Papers

Movement Type

Movement

Diameter

Dial Colour

Case material

Bracelet/Strap

Matching Model

Gender

<div class="wpb_text_column ">
<div class="wpb_wrapper">
<p>This Cartier Roadster XL Chronograph is a large and sporty gents watch with an automatic movement and a variety of strap and bracelet options. It is undeniably Cartier from the first look.</p>
<p>We recently took this beautiful watch as a part exchange and it has been very carefully worn since it was bought new. It comes complete with the boxes, papers and booklets as well as quick change Cartier straps in both brown and black leather with their deployant clasp.</p>
<p>The white dial has a beautiful porcelain effect with black Arabic numerals and it is all in excellent condition.</p>
<p>Just tested by Rolex &amp; Omega certified watch specialists <a href="https://www.michlmayr.com/">Michlmayr &amp; Co</a>  this Cartier Roadster XL Chronograph is running beautifully and comes with a twelve month warranty.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div class="wpb_text_column ">
<div class="wpb_wrapper">
<div class="wpb_text_column ">
<div class="wpb_wrapper">
<p>&nbsp;</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>


This Cartier Roadster XL Chronograph is a large and sporty gents watch with an automatic movement and a variety of strap and bracelet options.

Cartier Roadster XL Chronograph | 2005 | Full Set

https://cms.oakleighwatches.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/1x1-8168.jpg

Home

Oakleigh Watches

Learn More

Would You Like To Part Exchange An Existing Watch?

There are risks involved in taking out a loan and you should ensure you can make all payments on time and in full; failure to do so can lead to financial difficulties and have a negative impact on your credit score.