Cartier Pasha GMT Power Reserve 2388 automatic 38 mm

A brief history

The Pasha de Cartier occupies a singular place in the history of the Maison. According to legend, its origins date back to the early 1930s, when the Pasha of Marrakech, Thami El Glaoui, commissioned Louis Cartier to create a watch capable of withstanding an active lifestyle while preserving the elegance for which the House is known. Cartier is said to have imagined a water-resistant, robust watch with a protected crown and a metal grid designed to safeguard the dial—an approach radically different from the classic codes of the era.

This visionary concept would long remain in the realm of myth before resurfacing in the 1980s, at a pivotal moment for the watch industry. As the quartz crisis began to recede, Cartier sought to assert its ability to create a luxury sports watch with a strong identity, capable of rivaling the emerging icons of the genre. To meet this challenge, the Maison turned to Gérald Genta, already responsible for some of the most influential timepieces of the 20th century.

In 1985, the Pasha de Cartier as we know it today was born. A round case, Vendôme lugs, a sporty bezel, a screw-down crown protected by an attached cap, distinctive typography: the Pasha deliberately broke with Cartier’s more restrained lines. It embraced a bold, almost provocative design, while retaining an immediately recognisable elegance.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the Pasha collection was enriched with ambitious complications, underscoring Cartier’s serious watchmaking credentials. Reference 2388, with its GMT and power-reserve functions, fits squarely within this period. It reflects a more mature, more technical Pasha, conceived as a true travel watch capable of accompanying its owner through demanding everyday use.

Long viewed with suspicion by certain purists, the Pasha is now enjoying a genuine critical reassessment. Its design, once considered atypical, is increasingly recognised as visionary. Its link to Gérald Genta, the quality of its movements and the coherence of its DNA make it a sought-after piece among informed collectors, drawn to icons that go against the grain.

The Pasha GMT Power Reserve ref. 2388 perfectly embodies this spirit: a different kind of Cartier—technical, bold, and designed for those who appreciate watches with strong personality and real horological depth.

The model

The Cartier Pasha GMT Power Reserve ref. 2388 belongs to the most accomplished era of the Pasha, when the Maison fully embraced watchmaking that was both technical, audacious and deeply distinctive. With its 38 mm round case—now considered the ideal size for this model—it offers a remarkable balance of wrist presence, elegance and comfort.

The stainless steel case is immediately distinguished by its Vendôme lugs, a strong Cartier signature that ensures a fluid visual continuity between the case and the bracelet. The bracelet features H-shaped links, alternating satin-brushed surfaces with polished elements in a play of finishes that is unmistakably Cartier—elegant and highly graphic at once.

This construction gives the Pasha a unique, instantly recognisable identity while ensuring excellent wearing ergonomics. The satin-brushed flanks subtly contrast with the polished bezel, reinforcing the watch’s character—both sporty and refined.

Another iconic element is the screw-down crown protected by its attached cap—often nicknamed the “canteen crown.” Both functional and playful, it contributes to the watch’s water resistance and stands as one of the Pasha’s most emblematic design cues. This detail, directly inspired by mid-20th-century military waterproof watches, anchors the Pasha in a utilitarian tradition rarely associated with Cartier.

The silvered guilloché “flinqué” dial is one of the great highlights of this reference. It features a finely executed radiating pattern structured into twelve sectors, capturing the light with rich tonal variations. This sophisticated texture provides the ideal backdrop for a clear, well-hierarchised reading of the information, despite the presence of multiple complications.

The display is organised along a perfectly balanced vertical axis. At 12 o’clock, the 24-hour second time-zone indication allows the reference time to be read at a glance. At 6 o’clock, the power-reserve indicator adds a useful and highly legible element, with a matte finish that subtly contrasts with the rest of the dial. The date, positioned at 4:30, is integrated via a framed aperture and a discreet sapphire magnifier, while the metallic date disc maintains perfect harmony with the dial.

The blued, lozenge-shaped hands, combined with the indexes and the Pasha’s emblematic Arabic numerals, create a striking contrast and immediate legibility. The cardinal markers and the main hands feature tritium luminous material, developing a patina that gives the watch the neo-vintage character we love.

The whole is protected by a slightly domed sapphire crystal, enhancing dial depth while preserving a remarkably slim overall profile for a watch with such complications. Water-resistant to 100 metres, the Pasha GMT Power Reserve is perfectly at ease in daily wear, faithful to Cartier’s original intent: a watch capable of doing it all, without compromise.

The movement

The Cartier Pasha GMT Power Reserve ref. 2388 is powered by the Cartier calibre 480, an automatic movement that deserves particular attention, as it is often little known—or even underestimated—by enthusiasts.

This calibre is built on a very high-level foundation: the Girard-Perregaux 3100, one of the thinnest and most highly regarded automatic movements of its generation in the 1990s. That same movement notably served as the basis for the calibre 1310 used in the very first Vacheron Constantin Overseas, a detail that immediately conveys the prestige and quality of this architecture.

Cartier did not simply use this base: calibre 480 integrates an additional module enabling a second time zone display and a power-reserve indicator, while maintaining a very slim profile. This technical mastery results in a remarkably compact case, with a thickness of around 10 mm—an achievement for an automatic GMT watch with power reserve.

The movement offers approximately 50 hours of power reserve and delivers excellent rate stability. The second time zone is read via a 24-hour hand, adjustable through a discreet pusher integrated into the case, while the power-reserve indicator provides an instant view of the available energy—an elegant complication that remains genuinely useful even on an automatic watch.

The finishing is fully in keeping with the watch’s standing. It features careful decoration with perlage, straight Côtes, polished bevels and Cartier’s own aesthetic signatures, including the “Double C” motif visible on certain components. Altogether, it reflects true watchmaking intent, far from the sometimes reductive image associated with the Maison.

The package

This Cartier Pasha GMT Power Reserve ref. 2388 is offered in excellent condition and comes with its service pouch.

Prior to being offered for sale, it underwent a complete inspection in our workshops. Our watchmakers carried out a thorough check of all functions, including the movement and the GMT and power-reserve complications. A controlled polishing was also performed on the case and bracelet, in strict respect of the original finishes, restoring the watch’s brilliance without altering its lines or identity.

This preparation guarantees its future owner a perfectly functional watch, ready for everyday wear, and covered by a one-year warranty. A refined, elegant and distinctive piece, offered under ideal conditions for a worry-free acquisition.