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The Collector’s Guide to Cartier Jewelry and Watches
The French maison is best known for their watch and jewelry icons. If you’re looking to start your collection, here’s what you need to know.
I n the 1970s, the newly minted president of Cartier, Robert Hocq, coined a new phrase: “Les Must de Cartier” which translates to “Cartier, it’s a must!” And, isn’t it just?
Over its nearly 180 years in business, the French fine jewelry and watch brand is an essential name to know whether you’re looking for exquisite vintage pieces to collect or modern classics to wear everyday.
An innovator, pioneer and purveyor of magnificent pieces, Cartier is so much more than their iconic red box. Here’s what you need to know.
‘The Jeweler of Kings and the King of Jewelers’
Established in 1847 by the Parisian jeweler and watchmaker Louis-François Cartier, this small jewelry maison was passed from son to son, eventually finding its stride under the turn-of-the-century leadership of Louis-Francois’s grandsons Louis, Pierre and Jacques Cartier. It was also around this time that Cartier settled on Rue de le Paix, a street in Paris known for housing some of the finest French jewelers. In 1899, they set up shop at number 13, where they remain to this day, an ultra-luxurious destination for customers and home to the brand’s workshops.
From the imposing number 13, Louis cemented Cartier’s legacy within the industry, introducing the Cartier mystery clocks and Indian-inspired Tutti Frutti signature designs. It is likely no coincidence, then, that Cartier simultaneously became an official supplier to Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, King George I of Greece and King Edward VII of England, who declared the maison to be “the jeweler of kings and the king of jewelers.” Since its inception, in fact, the maison has been a favorite of royal families, but the early 1900s marked a rise in Cartier’s fortunes.
Cartier’s Iconic Designs
While Louis worked from Paris to establish Cartier as the premiere fine jeweler and horological maison, his brother Pierre was setting up shop in New York. Jacques headed up the branch in London with yet another sprouting up in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Today, no longer family owned and run, Cartier operates over 200 showrooms in locations around the world. The maison is no longer only worn by royalty, although the relationship remains – the Duchess of Cambridge wore the Cartier Halo tiara, loaned to her by the late Queen, to her 2011 wedding. Now it’s a true household name.
Thanks to more accessible pieces like the immensely popular Love collection (which features a locking mechanism and is endlessly customizable) and the avant-garde Panthère collection (named after the daring feline designs) the red leather box is an instantly recognizable signal of luxury.
How Cartier Innovated the Modern Wristwatch
In addition to finding Cartier a fashionable home, Louis turned his family’s sights towards horological innovations. Though they did not manufacture their own movements (early timepieces were made exclusively by Edmond Jaeger), Cartier’s luxury watches would quickly become legendary. Created for the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, who felt that pocket watches were impractical in flight, the now dominant Santos watch is reportedly the very first men’s timepiece designed specifically to be worn on the wrist. It made its debut in 1911 but continues to be a favorite among watch enthusiasts due to its elegant and simple rounded square dial.
A few years later saw the introduction of the Cartier Tank watch, which featured a rectangular dial inspired by the tanks on the Western Front in WWI. The Tank would go on to become a go-to style for Jacqueline Kennedy, Princess Diana and Yves Saint Laurent, among others. Today many variations exist, including the popular Tank Americaine and Tank Française.
Alongside the Santos and the Tank, Cartier’s horological arm made great strides in the clock design field, especially with their mystery clock designs. Invented in the late 19th century, mystery clocks typically feature transparent dials with hidden movements. Cartier made mystery clocks fashionable by decking them out in gems and precious metals or suspending them in architecturally lavish structures.
Although Louis had initially established an exclusive contract with Jaeger to supply movements, by the 1920s, Cartier was working with Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet, Le Coultre and Movado as well.
Notable Cartier Collectors
Though well-known for its high patrons like the Empress Eugenie and Prince Rainier III (who gifted Grace Kelly with a Cartier engagement ring), Cartier boasts a diverse set of fans and customers. Everyone from Tina turner to Bridgette Bardot, Richard Burton and even Pablo Escobar have been noted for their love of Cartier.
Cartier’s popularity is due in large part to the endless iconic designs, many of which even laypeople know by name. The Santos and Tank are two of the more popular watch collections, while the Crash and Tortue also have their dedicated fans. The 1950s era oval Bagnoire and the more recently introduced Pasha and Ballon Blue are beloved favorites of collectors. Andy Warhol famously said, “I don’t wear a Tank to tell the time. In fact, I never wind it. I wear a Tank because it’s the watch to wear.”
When it comes to fine jewelry, Cartier’s collections are legend. The Tutti Frutti designs – introduced by Louis – feature striking profusions of carved emeralds, rubies, sapphires and diamonds and have been famously worn by women throughout history.
The 1980s saw the introduction of the Panthère collection which features – you guessed it – pieces modeled after the lithe jungle cat, while the Juste en Clou collection which is based on the design of a nail, is a popular gift worldwide.
Other Cartier Collections
The beauty of archival and vintage Cartier is not only in the icons but the variations. Over the centuries, the maison has created not only pioneering watches and delightful jewels, but trinkets, objets and homeware that seem to get better with age. Decorative jade boxes, sterling-silver lighters, gold cigarette cases and diamond-encrusted compacts are just a few of the incredible vintage pieces that have come to market in the past.
Of course, vintage Tanks and Santos timepieces are must-haves for any true collector, but there’s no reason to stop there. The maison’s dedication to craft and savoir-faire mean that each piece out of their workshops draws upon decades of mastery and technique. Owning a Cartier original, especially some of the overwhelmingly eye-catching high jewelry designs, is a treat for even the most seasoned collector.
