The Cartier Roadster: History, References and How to Choose a Strap

Most discontinued watches fade quietly. The Cartier Roadster did not. Launched in 2001 and discontinued around 2012, the Cartier Roadster still turns up in forum threads, in pre-owned listings and on the wrists of people who bought one new and never found a reason to sell. The shape, which looks like nothing else Cartier makes, explains some of that. A strap system that was unusually clever for its time explains the rest. If you own one, or are thinking about buying one, this guide covers the first-generation watch (2001 to around 2012): where it came from, how to tell the versions apart, and what to do about the strap.

Where the Roadster came from

The name tells you most of what you need to know about the brief. The case is a tonneau, wider in the middle than at the ends, with soft curved flanks meant to echo the bodywork of 1950s and 1960s sports cars. By Cartier standards it is a chunky, rounded shape, closer to a Santos in attitude than to a Tank, and it wears more comfortably than the proportions suggest.

The dial carries the car theme further. The Roman numerals are oversized and stretched, the kind you would find on a speedometer, and the hands are Cartier's usual sword shape with a luminous fill. The detail everyone remembers is the date. At three o'clock a magnifying lens sits over the date window, which makes the small disc noticeably larger and gives the watch a face you can pick out from across a room.

The lineup, and how to tell the versions apart

Three sizes made up the core of the range. The small, around 30 mm with a quartz movement and usually seen on smaller wrists; the large, with an automatic movement, which is the one most people picture when they hear the name; and the XL chronograph, with three subdials and a dial busy enough to divide opinion. Around 2010 Cartier added the Roadster S, a pared-back, slightly cheaper version that kept the tonneau case and quick-change lugs but dropped the date lens. Steel was the volume seller, but two-tone and solid gold versions exist, as do dials in silver and black and a few set with diamonds.

The quickest way to pin down what you have, or what you are being offered, is the four-digit number engraved on the caseback. Among the most common: 2510 is the large automatic, 2618 the XL chronograph and 2675 the small quartz. Cartier's papers list the full reference as well, so if a seller has the box and documents, cross-check the two.

The strap system was the clever part

What really set the Roadster apart was underneath, at the lugs. Cartier fitted it with a quick-change strap system that needs no spring bars and no tools. The strap end carries its own fitting; press the release and the strap slides out of the case, and the replacement slides in and clicks home. Cartier made a point of this at launch and pitched the watch as one you would move between the bracelet and a leather strap depending on the day.

The flip side is that a Roadster will not take an ordinary strap. The lugs are shaped for Cartier's fitting, so a standard strap from the drawer will not attach, and with the original watch long out of production, factory straps are harder to come by than they were. Independent makers have filled the gap. Helvetus, which is not affiliated with Cartier, makes a range of Cartier Roadster straps with a quick-release system of their own that works without spring bars, so a change still takes seconds and still needs no tools.

Rubber, leather or nylon

Rubber, leather and nylon each change the character of the watch more than you might expect. Available colors, widths and warranty terms should be checked with the strap maker before ordering.

Rubber

Natural rubber in black, orange, navy blue, brown, light blue and grey. This is the summer and sports option, and the one that leans hardest into the car theme: an orange or light blue strap on a steel Roadster has something of a 1960s coupe interior about it. Rubber is a practical option for daily wear and can be rinsed clean according to the maker’s care instructions. Helvetus lists a lifetime warranty for its rubber straps; check the applicable terms when ordering.

Leather

Black, flat black, brown, light brown, blue and orange. Leather is the traditional choice for a Cartier and still suits the case best for anything involving a jacket. Black on a silver dial is the quiet option; brown or light brown softens the steel and makes the Roadster read more like a vintage piece than a 2000s one. Helvetus lists a one-year limited warranty for its leather straps.

Nylon

Black or navy blue. The lightest of the three, it dries fast and takes a beating, which makes it the travel strap: leave the leather in the suitcase and wear the nylon through the airport and on day trips. Helvetus lists a one-year limited warranty for its nylon straps.

Getting the size right

Every strap is 115 mm on each side, and the width (15, 19 or 20 mm) is chosen at checkout. Rubber comes in 19 and 20 mm only, so owners of the small 2675 should look at leather or nylon. Roadsters came in several sizes and the strap width differs between them, so check which one you have before ordering. The reference on the caseback or in the papers will tell you, and if there is any doubt, measure the old strap where it meets the case with a pair of callipers. Helvetus offers worldwide shipping and returns, subject to its current terms. Confirm the fit before ordering.

Buying a used Roadster: what to check

Because the watch sold well, there are plenty around, and asking prices move with condition, size and whether the bracelet and spare strap are still with it. A few things worth looking at before money changes hands:

• The caseback engraving. The reference and serial should be crisp, not softened by over-polishing, and should match the papers if there are any.
• The date lens. It should be free of chips and scratches, because a replacement crystal is not a small job on this watch.
• The quick-change fittings. Remove and refit the strap. The release should feel positive and the strap should lock with no play. Worn or bent fittings cause rattle at the lugs and are far easier to spot in person than in photographs.
• Service history. The large and the XL are automatics, and a watch of this age will have needed attention at some point. A receipt is worth more than a seller's word.
• The bracelet, if included. Look for stretch between the links and make sure the clasp still closes with a clean click.

How it wears now

The Roadster was designed in a decade that liked its watches large and its dials busy, and it has aged better than most of its contemporaries because the shape is doing the work rather than the size. On a rubber strap in a bright colour it reads as a sports watch with a sense of humour. On dark leather it passes for something far older than it is. That range is the reason the quick-change system matters: this is a watch that can be two or three different watches in a single week, and a small drawer of straps is the cheapest way to get there. More than two decades after its launch, that idea has held up better than most of the watches it shared a display case with.