Cartier Week: The resurrection of a famous brand

Cartier – a name that sounds worldwide like a synonym for luxury and timeless elegance. Whether sparkling rings, delicate chains, or iconic bracelets, the creations of the Maison are as revered as their legendary Watches.

History of the Cartier Brand

The origin of this success story goes back to 1849, when Louis-François Cartier (1819–1904) took over the workshop of his master Adolphe Picard at 29 Rue Montorgueil in Paris. This year still marks the birth of a brand that became a legend.

The handmade jewelry from Cartier found admirers early on in the highest circles. None other than the French Empress Eugénie was among the Maison’s clients and thus helped the brand to international fame.

With the entry of Louis-François-Alfred Cartier into the family business, a new era began: watchmaking. Already in 1888, Cartier presented its first models for the wrist. This was a novelty at a time when pocket Watches dominated. However, the great breakthrough came with the legendary Cartier Santos.

Icons like the tricolor Trinity Ring (1924), the mysteriously seductive Panther Ring (1935), or the unmistakable Cartier Tank cemented the brand’s status as the epitome of timeless elegance.

With the death of Jacques Cartier (1941), Louis Cartier (1942), and finally Pierre Cartier (1964), the chapter of the "family business" ended. In the following decades, the Maison was restructured: Cartier became the Vendôme Luxury Group, and since 1997 the traditional house has belonged to the Swiss Richemont Group based in Geneva – a name that, like Cartier itself, stands for the highest watchmaking art and exquisite luxury.

Elegance from Cartier: Watch, Ring or Bracelet

Over decades, the artistic jewelry creations, later also the Watches, elevated Cartier to a worldwide icon of luxury. Every collection embodies elegance, sophistication, and the unmistakable touch of the extraordinary that still characterizes the brand today. Among the masterpieces from the house of Cartier are the following legendary creations:

• 1904: Cartier Santos as a modern wristwatch
  
• 1912: Mystery Clock named “Modèle A”
• 1914: The Watch and jewelry collection Panthère de Cartier begins
• 1917: First design of the Cartier Tank, publicly presented for the first time in 1919
• 1924: Trinity Ring: Three interlinked rings made of yellow, white, and rose gold.
• 1928: Magnificent necklace for Bhupindra Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala
• 1932: Cartier Pasha - A sporty, waterproof Watch, allegedly designed for the Pasha of Marrakech.
• 1942: Brooch “Bird in a Cage” as a symbol for occupied France
• 1967: Crash Watch as a daring design
• 1969: Love Bracelet - A bracelet with a screw mechanism that is meant to symbolize eternal love.
• 1971: Juste un Clou - A long nail shaped as a bangle 
• 1973: Launch of the Les Must de Cartier collection
• 1977: Le Must de Cartier is introduced
• 1999: Introduction of the Paris Nouvelle Vague collection
• 2007: Ballon Bleu de Cartier - a modern masterpiece with a distinctive case.

The Most Famous Watches from Cartier

The Cartier Tank has been considered a timeless design icon since its release in 1917, inspired by the clear lines of a tank and still a symbol of simple elegance today. The Santos, on the other hand, was designed in 1904 for the aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont and made history as the first modern wristwatch. With the Ballon Bleu, Cartier launched a model in 2007 that immediately achieved cult status with its distinctive, spherical case and flowing lines. 

The Tank Louis, a refined version of the classic Tank, has embodied Cartier’s exclusive style since 1922. It has been worn by numerous personalities. The Tank Must, first introduced in the 1970s, made the iconic shape accessible to a broader audience through bold colors and affordable variants. The Panthère de Cartier finally combines the elegance of a piece of jewelry with the functionality of a Watch since the 1980s and remains a symbol of feminine luxury to this day.

The Most Famous Jewelry from Cartier

The Cartier Love Bracelet, designed in New York in 1969, is long more than just a piece of jewelry. It is considered a symbol of everlasting love. With its distinctive screw mechanism, which can only be opened with a small screwdriver, it stands for the idea of an unbreakable bond. Equally iconic is the Trinity Ring from 1924, whose three interlinked rings of yellow, white, and rose gold symbolize love, loyalty, and friendship. 

Another masterpiece is the Panthère de Cartier, first introduced in 1914: The panther, a symbol of strength, elegance, and sensuality, became the unmistakable trademark of the house. In the 1970s, Cartier made a powerful statement with Juste un Clou, a simple nail transformed into an extravagant bangle design that blurs the boundaries between minimalism and luxury.

Art Déco Style as a Defining Style of Cartier Watches & Jewelry

The Art Déco style shaped Cartier like hardly any other era and gave Watches and jewelry from the 1920s onwards their distinctive aesthetic. Clear lines, geometric shapes, and modern rigor combined with luxurious materials to create timeless elegance. Cartier drew influences from architecture, travel, and the new dynamics of modernity and translated them into designs that appeared both sophisticated and avant-garde. Iconic pieces like the Cartier Tank still embody the spirit of Art Déco today: reduced design with a distinctive formal language that expresses luxury, style awareness, and a new way of life.

Why Cartier: The Resurrection of a Famous Brand

Cartier’s return to the top of the watch market is based on an interplay of strategic and cultural factors. In 2023, the Maison reached second place behind Rolex with 660,000 models sold and sales of 3.1 billion CHF. Already between 2016 and 2018, Cartier ensured price stability and brand prestige by repurchasing inventory worth 500 million dollars. After the pandemic, especially demand in China fueled remarkable sales growth of 30% – a decision that should pay off sustainably.

But the success is not limited to the economic segment. Cartier’s Watches convince with iconic aesthetics and timeless formal language. At the same time, the jewelry business surpassed Watch sales for the first time in 2023 by 2%, thus expanding the classic target group far beyond traditional collectors. Another driver is the trend towards smaller Men’s watches, worn by stars like Will Smith (Cartier Tank) or Rami Malek (Cartier Tank). Personalities such as Taylor Swift (Cartier Panthere), Lindsay Lohan (Cartier Panthere), Princess Kate (Cartier Pasha) or Lana Del Ray (Cartier Biagnoire) also amplify the hype around the brand.

Based on its rich history, Cartier skillfully uses re-editions and cultural engagement to underline authenticity and prestige. Diversification into jewelry and Watches also allows design lines to be consistently stringent, modern, and at the same time accessible – an essential factor for the enduring radiance of the house.