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Why Cartier is the Watchmaker for the Global Style Crowd
Three modern tastemakers prove that Cartier continues to be the most stylish choice.
E arlier this year, Sotheby’s Hong Kong introduced The Shapes of Cartier—an historic collection of vintage Cartier watches, the finest ever assembled. The Hong Kong Sale was just the beginning. Geneva and London followed, with pieces from the 300-strong collection appearing in each city to collectors of the maison’s superbly stylish timepieces.
This month, New York will have its turn, offering a further selection of pieces from the Shapes of Cartier collection in the Breuer’s Important Watches Auction. Vintage Tanks mingle with Rondes and Tonneaus as well as unusual and rare pieces that may as well be one-offs, illustrating again how beauty and functionality come together in Cartier. Cartier watches have always been favorites of stylish city-dwellers—the Tank in particular was worn by everyone from the boxer Muhammed Ali to Jackie Kennedy. Catherine, Princess of Wales wears a Ballon Blue while Sammy Davis Jr sported a Pasha.
In honor of New York’s upcoming Important Watches sale, we surveyed some stylish friends of Sotheby’s and asked them why they chose Cartier as their timepiece of choice.
Alex Eagle
Founder of Alex Eagle Studio, a lifestyle and fashion store in London
Tell me about your watch.
Mine is a Cartier La Doña, 18ct gold, the most beautiful thing. I bought it for myself as a fortieth birthday present. A friend was wearing one over a weekend in the country and I completely fell in love with it.
Why this watch?
I loved that it wore like a chunky bracelet as much as a watch, effortless in the day and just as easy to carry into the evening as a piece of jewelry. And then there’s the María Félix connection, which makes it even more special. A watch with real history and personality behind it.
[Ed note: María Félix was an iconic Mexican actress and singer who found fame in the 1940s and 50s. She was also one of Cartier's most devoted collectors. After her passing, the maison introduced the La Doña de Cartier, a watch and jewelry collection dedicated to Félix]
How do you wear it?
I wear my watch every day and try not to be too precious about it. It acts as a piece of jewelry, but more than that it becomes part of my uniform. I wear it with tailoring, jeans, on holiday, at work, everywhere really. I love objects that are used and lived in rather than saved for special occasions, and over time a watch becomes a record of your life, collecting memories, stories and marks along the way.
Do you have a dream Cartier watch?
My dream Cartier watch would actually be one we sell in the shop at the moment: a Jumbo Tank. I love its proportions. It takes something so classic and familiar and makes it feel a little cooler and more unexpected. I’ve always been drawn to pieces with a slightly masculine edge, whether in clothing, furniture or jewelry, and the scale gives it that attitude. It’s timeless but has a confidence to it. For me, it’s a bit of a go big or go home watch.
Jeremy Mitchell
Photographer and Art Director
Tell me about your watch.
I got this watch at a menswear shop in Tokyo called Maiden Shop in 2024. It’s an absolutely beautiful store.
What led to the purchase?
I visited the store three times during that trip, debating whether I should get the Cartier Tank or a Rolex Datejust. On the very last day of my trip, I decided on the Cartier Tank. My birthday had just passed, and I wanted to leave Japan with something memorable.
I’m going to be completely honest. I chose this watch because it was somewhat within my spending budget. I had already gone over budget in Japan, and this landed right within range.
Fair enough! How did you land on Cartier?
I was ready to invest in my first watch, so I reached out to a good friend of mine, Bryan Sacawa of @hespokestyle. At the time, he was the only person I knew who was really knowledgeable about watches. He knew my style, understood my taste level, and I trusted his taste as well.
He recommended three watches, and out of the three, the Cartier Américaine was mentioned. From there, I started doing my research on Cartier watches. I always want to make sure I know what I’m investing in.
I probably watched every YouTube video about Cartier pre- and during COVID. I was constantly visiting stores just to try on the Cartier Santos, Tanks, Francaise, Ballon. Man, I think I tried on everything!
A few months later, I got the opportunity to collaborate on a campaign with Hodinkee. The campaign centered around the concept of “allthingswatches,” celebrating the little details and stories that drive our obsession with watches.
They had a few watches available to loan for review, and I immediately went for a Cartier Tank. It was a great opportunity to see if that was truly the watch for me.
How do you like to wear it?
I wear this watch every way possible. I dress it up, dress it down—it’s my first Cartier watch, so I’m going to make full use of it.
Do you have a dream Cartier watch?
My dream Cartier piece will forever be a vintage Cartier Santos Galbée in gold. That’s the first Cartier watch that truly resonated with me. I’m still saving up for that.
Vanessa Barboni Hallik
Founder and CEO of the clothing brand Another Tomorrow
Tell me about your watch.
This Tank Must was a beautiful gift from my husband when one year we chose watches for each other. It's still the only one I own. There is deep love in this gift and it carries an inscription he wrote on that back that says "Soulmates V&J". I'll keep this forever.
Why do you love this watch?
For me this piece represents timeless, architectural elegance and a feeling of strength and resilience. The design integrates the combination of feminine and masculine energy that I love and I appreciate the versatility of the gold and silver. The feeling of the metal band against the skin, the movement and weight of it there is a kind of effortless balance and gravity. And I resonate with Cartier's core values. I won't name them all, but curiosity, open-mindedness, generosity, among them they come through in the collection and in their long-standing support of programs like the Cartier Women's Initiative that has been running for 20 years.
How do you like to wear it?
With ease. It becomes sort of an extension of you and it carries just as well for an evening out as it does on a work day or in nature.
Do you have a dream Cartier watch?
There is a vintage men's Pasha with an exquisite deep blue face and 18K gold band I have my eye on. In addition to the design, I feel very connected to the phases of the moon and celestial elements speak to me, spiritually and as echoes of my childhood as I loved astronomy. It was a bond I had with my father.
