A Cartier Les Must from the 1990s in bordeaux lacquer, the colour so deep it reads almost black until it catches direct light, when it opens up into that characteristic wine red. The case follows the oval, gently godroned shape the model is known for, with gold-plated mounts framing the lacquer at the base and along the hooded top. It is a compact, pocketable object, the kind of lighter that sits flat and unobtrusive until you need it.

The striking wheel is set beneath a hinged hood rather than left exposed on the body, so the mechanism stays out of sight until the moment it is used, then closes away again afterward. That hidden wheel was the detail that set the original design apart when Cartier first put its name to it, and it is the reason the Les Must is still handled differently to most other lighters of the period: you open the hood, strike, and close it again, a small deliberate sequence rather than a single motion. It gave Cartier one of the first lighters to be treated as a luxury object in daily use rather than as an occasional accessory, and this example carries that same format through to the 1990s largely unchanged.

There is a small dent on the front of the case, visible on close inspection and worth knowing about before you buy. Beyond that, the lighter is graded great, meaning only light wear consistent with its age and with being carried and used rather than shut away. It comes complete with its original Cartier box and papers, the deep red of the box echoing the lacquer inside it. It has been fully serviced in our workshop and is ready to fill and use, the hood lifting and closing with the same quiet precision it left Paris with.

– Brand: Cartier
– Model: Les Must
– Material: Lacquered
– Serial Number: 19382V
– Accessories: Original Box & Papers
– Year: 1990s
– Condition: Great

Please refer to the “Specifications” tab for detailed dimensions and approximate weight of the lighter.