Cartier is regarded as one of the most prestigious luxury-goods manufacturers.[4][7][8][9][10][11]Forbes ranked Cartier on its Most Valuable Brands list as 56th in 2020, with a brand value of $12.2 B and revenue of $6.2 B.[1][12]
Cartier has a long history of sales to royalty.[13]King Edward VII referred to Cartier as "the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers".[4][14] For hiscoronation in 1902, Edward VII ordered 27tiaras and issued aroyal warrant to Cartier in 1904.[4][15] Similar warrants soon followed from the courts of Spain, Portugal, Serbia, Russia and theHouse of Orléans. The largest ever single order to date was made in 1925 by theIndian royalty, theMaharaja of Patiala, for thePatiala Necklace and other jewelry worth₹1 billion (equivalent to₹210 billion, US$2.5 billion or €2.2 billion in 2023).[16]
Louis-François Cartier founded Cartier in Paris in 1847 when he took over the workshop of his master, Adolphe Picard.[17] In 1874, Louis-François' son Alfred Cartier took over the company, but it was Alfred's sonsLouis,Pierre, andJacques who established the brand name worldwide.[17]
Pierre Cartier
Louis ran the Paris branch, moving to theRue de la Paix in 1899. He was responsible for some of the company's most celebrated designs, such as the mystery clocks (a type of clock with a transparent dial and so named because its mechanism is hidden), fashionable wristwatches and exotic orientalistArt Deco designs, including the colorful "Tutti Frutti" jewels.[18][19][20] During that time, Louis Cartier also pioneered the use of platinum in jewelry, a breakthrough innovation that enabled more intricate and delicate settings. The strength of platinum allowed for nearly invisible settings, putting the spotlight on diamonds and gemstones, and giving Cartier's creations a distinct elegance that redefined modern jewelry design.[21][22]
In 1904, Brazilian pioneer aviator,Alberto Santos-Dumont complained to his friend Louis Cartier of the unreliability and impracticality of using pocket watches while flying. Cartier designed a flat wristwatch with a distinctive square bezel that was favored by Santos-Dumont and many other customers.[23] This was the first and only time the brand would name a watch after its original wearer.[24] The "Santos" watch was Cartier's first men's wristwatch. In 1907, Cartier signed a contract with Edmond Jaeger, who agreed to exclusively supply the movements for Cartier watches.[25] Among the Cartier team was Charles Jacqueau, who joinedLouis Cartier in 1909 for the rest of his life, andJeanne Toussaint, who was Director of Fine Jewellery from 1933.
Pierre Cartier established a New York City branch in 1909, moving in 1917 to653 Fifth Avenue, theNeo-Renaissance mansion of Morton Freeman Plant (son of railroad tycoonHenry B. Plant), designed by architectC.P.H. Gilbert.[26] Cartier purchased it from the Plants in exchange for $100 in cash and a double-stranded natural pearl necklace valued at the time at $1 million.[27] By this time, Cartier had branches in London, New York andSaint Petersburg and was quickly becoming one of the most successful watch companies.[10][3]
Designed by Louis Cartier, theTank watch was introduced in 1919 and was inspired by the newly introducedtanks on theWestern Front inWorld War I.[17] In the early 1920s, Cartier formed ajoint-stock company with Edward Jaeger (ofJaeger-LeCoultre) to produce movements solely for Cartier. Cartier continued to use movements from other makers:Vacheron Constantin,Audemars Piguet,Movado, andLeCoultre. It was also during this period that Cartier began adding its own reference numbers its watches by stamping a four-digit code on the underside of a lug. Jacques took charge of the London operations and eventually moved to the current address atNew Bond Street.
After the death of Pierre in 1964, Jean-Jacques Cartier (Jacques's son), Claude Cartier (Louis's son), and Marion Cartier Claudel (Pierre's daughter)—who respectively headed the Cartier affiliates in London, New York, and Paris—sold the businesses.
In 1972, Robert Hocq, assisted by a group of investors led by Joseph Kanoui, boughtCartier Paris.[28] In 1974 and 1976, respectively, the group repurchasedCartier London andCartier New York, thus reconnecting Cartier worldwide.[28] The new president of Cartier, Robert Hocq, coined the phrase "Les Must de Cartier" (a staff member is said to have said "Cartier, It's a must!" meaning something one simply must have) with Alain Dominique Perrin, who was a General Director of the company.[29][30] As a result, in 1976, "Les Must de Cartier" became adiffusion line of Cartier, with Alain D. Perrin being its CEO.[31][32][33]
In 1979, the Cartier interests were combined, withCartier Monde uniting and controlling Cartier Paris, London, and New York. Joseph Kanoui became vice president of Cartier Monde. In December 1979, following the accidental death of president Robert Hocq, Nathalie Hocq (daughter of Hocq) became president.[28][33]
In the 1980s, Cartier expanded its luxury offerings by entering the eyewear market. The brand introduced its first eyewear collections using premium materials such as gold, platinum, and buffalo horn. This venture allowed Cartier to further diversify its luxury accessories portfolio while maintaining its commitment to craftsmanship and design.[34]
Cartier is in the formerMorton F. Plant House on Fifth Avenue in New YorkCartier flagship store in Shanghai, China
In 1981, Alain Dominique Perrin was appointed Chairman of Cartier SAA and Cartier International.[30][32] The next year, Micheline Kanoui, wife of Joseph Kanoui, became head of jewellery design and launched her first collection "Nouvelle Joaillerie."[31] In 1984, Perrin founded theFondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain to bring Cartier into the twenty-first century, by forming an association with living artists. In 1986, the French Ministry for Culture appointed Perrin head of the "Mission sur le mécénat d'entreprise" (a commission to study business patronage of the arts). Two years later, Cartier gained a majority holding inPiaget andBaume & Mercier. From 1989 to 1990, the Musée du Petit Palais staged an exhibition of the Cartier collection, "L'Art de Cartier."[35]
Perrin founded an international committee in 1991,Comité International de la Haute Horlogerie, to organize its first salon, held on April 15, 1991; this has become an annual meeting place in Geneva for professionals in this field. The next year, the second exhibition of "L'Art de Cartier" was held at theHermitage Museum inSt Petersburg. In 1993, the "Vendôme Luxury Group" was formed as an umbrella company to combine Cartier,Dunhill,Montblanc, Piaget, Baume & Mercier,Karl Lagerfeld,Chloé, Sulka,Hackett, and Seeger.[36]
In 1994, the Cartier Foundation moved to the Rive Gauche and opened headquarters in a building designed for it byJean Nouvel. The next year, a major exhibition of the Cartier Antique Collection was held in Asia. In 1996, the Lausanne Hermitage Foundation in Switzerland exhibited "Splendours of the Jewellery", presenting a hundred and fifty years of products by Cartier.[37]
In 2012, Cartier was owned, throughRichemont, by the South AfricanRupert family, and Elle Pagels, a 24-year-old granddaughter of Pierre Cartier.[38][39]
1922 – Creation of the Tank Louis Cartier and Tank Chinoise watches.
1923 – Creation of the first portico mystery clock, crowned with a statuette called Billiken.
1926 – Creation of the Baguette watch. Cartier jewellery in its red box appeared on the Broadway stage in Anita Loos' playGentlemen Prefer Blondes.[62]
1928 – Creation of the Tortue single push-piece chronograph watch.[3]
1929 – Creation of the Tank à guichets watch.
1931 – Creation of the mystery pocket watch.
1932 – Creation of the Tank basculante watch.
1933 – Cartier filed a patent for the "invisible mount", a stone-setting technique in which the metal of the mount disappears to show only the stones. This method, known as the Mystery Setting, became a signature element of Cartier's high jewelry.[63]
1936 – Creation of the Tank asymétrique watch.
1942 – Creation of the "Caged Bird" brooch as a symbol of the Occupation.[3]
1944 – Cartier created the "Freed Bird" to celebrate the Liberation of France.
1950 – Creation of a watch in the form of a ship's wheel.
1967 – Creation of new watches in London including the Crash.
1968 – Creation of the Maxi Oval watch.
1969 – Creation of the Love bracelet.[3]Cartier Santos – steel/gold from 1988
1969 First inclusion of a Cartier Chronometer in aLuxury Car
1971 – Creation of the Juste un Clou bracelet at Cartier New York.
1973 – Creation of Les Must de Cartier by Robert Hocq with Alain-Dominique Perrin.[3]
1974 – Launch of the first leather collection in burgundy.
1976 – First collection of Les Must de Cartier vermeil watches. Creation of the first oval pen.
1978 – Creation of the Santos de Cartier watch with a gold and steel bracelet. Creation of the first Cartier scarf collection.[3]
1980 – Launch of Cartier eyewear collection
1981 – Launch of the Must de Cartier and Santos de Cartier perfumes.
1982 – Launch of the first New Jewellery collection on the theme of gold and stones.
1983 – Creation of the Collection Ancienne Cartier (later the Cartier Collection) to record and illustrate how the jeweller's art and its history have evolved. Creation of the Panthère de Cartier watch.
1984 – Launch of the second New Jewellery collection on the theme of gold and pearls. Creation of the Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain inJouy-en-Josas.
1986 – Launch of the third New Jewellery collection on the theme of the panther.
1987 – Launch of the Panthère de Cartier perfume. Creation of Les Maisons de Cartier tableware (porcelain, crystal and silver).
1988 – Launch of the fourth New Jewellery collection on the theme of Egypt.
1989 – Launch of the Tank Américaine watch.The Art of Cartier, the first major retrospective in Paris, was held at thePetit Palais.
1995 – Creation of the Pasha C watch in steel. Launch of the So Pretty de Cartier perfume.
1996 – Creation of the Tank Française watch collection. Launch of the sixth New Jewellery collection on the theme of Creation. Creation of the Tank ring.[3]
1997 – Cartier celebrated its 150th anniversary with creations including a necklace in the form of a serpent, paved with diamonds and set with two pear-cut emeralds of 205 and 206 carats (41.2 g).[3]
1998 – Creation of the Collection Privée Cartier Paris Fine Watch collection.
1999 – Creation of the Paris Nouvelle Vague Cartier jewellery collection, inspired by Paris.
2001 – Creation of the Délices de Cartier jewellery collection. Launch of the Roadster watch.[3]
2003 – Launch of the Le Baiser du Dragon and Les Délices de Goa jewellery collections.
In December 2018,World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) released a report assigning environmental ratings to 15 major watch manufacturers and jewelers in Switzerland.[64][65] Cartier (being a subsidiary of the SwissRichemont Group) was ranked No. 2 among the 15 manufacturers and assigned an average environmental rating of "Upper Midfield," suggesting the manufacturer has taken first actions addressing the impact of its manufacturing activities on the environment and climate change.[64] According to Cartier's official company document, the company is committed to conduct businesses "in an environmentally responsible manner" and "minimising negative environmental impacts."[66]
From its inception,Empress Eugénie was a valued client ofLouis-François Cartier and Alfred,[68] which solidified the reputation of the jeweler.[69] Princess Mathilde, a relative of Napoleon I and cousin ofEmperor Napoleon III, made her initial purchase in 1856 and maintained her loyalty as a customer.[69] The diamond tiara adorned with olive leaf motifs thatPrincess Marie Bonaparte wore highlighted the splendor of the Bonaparte family.[70] She wore Cartier jewelry during her marriage toPrince George of Greece.[68] An opulent diamond necklace with red hues was commissioned forMaharaja Bhupinder Singh ofPatiala, who presented it to his maharani. The Duke of Windsor commissioned jewelry for Wallis Simpson, including a "Flamingo" brooch, a "Draperie" necklace, and a three-dimensional "panther". Grace Kelly possessed a diverse collection of jewelry, including her engagement ring fromPrince Rainier III in 1955, princely emblems, various brooches, and clips she wore at the birth ofPrince Albert. TheDuchess of Cambridge wore a Cartier tiara from 1936 on her wedding day, which was originally commissioned byKing George VI for his wife and later gifted to Elizabeth on her 18th birthday.[71][72]
Pierre Cartier sold the "Hope" blue diamond to an American customer,Evalyn Walsh McLean, and counted actressÈve Lavallière and socialiteDoris Duke among his clients. La Belle Otero wore Cartier jewelry and famously said, "A man with an account at Cartier cannot be considered ugly." Wearing Cartier during theBelle Époque was a status symbol. Liz Taylor, who wroteMy Love Affair With Jewelry about her collection, regularly received gifts fromRichard Burton andMike Todd. The diamond necklace that Burton repurchased from Cartier was named "Taylor – Burton". Other celebrities likeGloria Swanson andMaria Felix were also loyal clients,[68][73] along withBrigitte Bardot andYves Montand who gave gifts from Cartier.
Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria wore Cartier watches during his rule within theMedellín Cartel in Colombia.
In the 1988 filmWall Street,Michael Douglas, a symbol of theyuppie style, proudly wore a gold "Santos" watch.[74][75]
In cinema, the "Love" bracelet adorned Elizabeth Taylor's wrist in 1972 inAsh Wednesday, andSharon Stone wore it in the 1998 filmSphere. On stage, it was the sole jewelry piece worn by Tina Turner during her 1983 comeback tour.[76][77][78][79]
^Menkes, Suzy (January 10, 2006)."A ball for the 'king of jewellers'".The New York Times.Archived from the original on July 17, 2014. RetrievedMarch 14, 2012.A line-up of small rooms for special clients has original light oak wood paneling carved with garlands and hung with certificates from England's Edward VII (in 1905), through the king of Siam and Russian czars.
^1976 Continental Mark IV. USA: Lincoln Division – Ford Motor Company. August 1, 1975. pp. 2–3.Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. RetrievedJune 12, 2022.
^1977 Continental Mark V. USA: Lincoln Division – Ford Motor Company. August 1, 1976. pp. 12–13.Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. RetrievedJune 12, 2022.
^1979 Continental Mark V. USA: Lincoln Division – Ford Motor Company. August 1, 1978. pp. 6–7.Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. RetrievedJune 12, 2022.
^1982 Lincoln Town Car. USA: Lincoln Division – Ford Motor Company. August 1, 1981. pp. 4–7.Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. RetrievedJune 12, 2022.
Cox, Caroline (2014) [2013]. "1847: Cartier".Le luxe en héritage: Secrets d'ateliers des grandes maisons (in French). with preface by Cameron Silver. Paris:Dunod. pp. 86–91.ISBN978-2-10-070551-1.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
