Louis-François Cartier founded Cartier in Paris in 1847 when he took over the workshop of his master, Adolphe Picard. In 1874, Louis-François’ son Alfred Cartier took over the company, but it was Alfred’s sons Louis, Pierre, and Jacques who established the brand name worldwide.
Pierre Cartier
Louis ran the Paris branch, moving to the Rue 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 orientalist Art Deco designs, including the colorful “Tutti Frutti” jewels.
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. This was the first and only time the brand would name a watch after its original wearer. 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. Among the Cartier team was Charles Jacqueau, who joined Louis Cartier in 1909 for the rest of his life, and Jeanne Toussaint, who was Director of Fine Jewellery from 1933.
Pierre Cartier established a New York City branch in 1909, moving in 1917 to 653 Fifth Avenue, the Neo-Renaissance mansion of Morton Freeman Plant (son of railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant), designed by architect C.P.H. Gilbert. 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. By this time, Cartier had branches in London, New York and Saint Petersburg and was quickly becoming one of the most successful watch companies.
Designed by Louis Cartier, the Tank watch was introduced in 1919 and was inspired by the newly introduced tanks on the Western Front in World War I. In the early 1920s, Cartier formed a joint-stock company with Edward Jaeger (of Jaeger-LeCoultre) to produce movements solely for Cartier. Cartier continued to use movements from other makers: Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet, Movado, and LeCoultre. 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 at New Bond Street.
Re-organization
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, bought Cartier Paris. In 1974 and 1976, respectively, the group repurchased Cartier London and Cartier New York, thus reconnecting Cartier worldwide. 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. As a result, in 1976, “Les Must de Cartier” became a diffusion line of Cartier, with Alain D. Perrin being its CEO.
In 1979, the Cartier interests were combined, with Cartier 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.
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CARTIER SANTOS DE CARTIER WSSA0030
Cartier Santos de Cartier Large Automatic Steel Bracelet/Strap Watch WSSA0030 – WSSA0013.
This Santos de Cartier watch bears a confident 39.5mm case diameter crafted from stainless steel. A deep and mesmerising blue graduated dial is home to steel sword-shaped hands and classic Roman numeral hour indexes. The watch is powered by the in-house developed Cartier 1847 MC calibre, which powers the hands around the dial with precision, offering a 42-hour power reserve.
Estimated delivery on 16 - 22 November, 2024$13,000.00 EAN: 077000071859CARTIER SANTOS DE CARTIER WSSA0030
$13,000.00 -
CARTIER SANTOS DE CARTIER WSSA0062 LUXURY (2023)
Santos de Cartier watch, large model, mechanical movement with automatic winding 1847 MC. Steel case, 7-sided crown set with a synthetic faceted blue spinel, graduated green dial, polished steel sword-shaped hands with luminescent material, sapphire crystal. Steel bracelet with SmartLink adjustment system. Second strap in green alligator skin, with interchangeable steel folding buckle. Both are fitted with the QuickSwitch interchangeable system. Case width: 39.8 mm, thickness: 9.38 mm. Water-resistant up to 10 bar (approx. 100 meters/330 feet)
Estimated delivery on 16 - 22 November, 2024$15,000.00 EAN: 154000126731 -
SANTOS DE CARTIER CRW4SA0005
Cartier Santos watch, medium model, mechanical movement with automatic winding, caliber 1847 MC. Steel case, steel bezel set with 206 brilliant-cut diamonds totaling 0.64 carats.
Estimated delivery on 16 - 22 November, 2024$17,800.00 EAN: 097000131896SANTOS DE CARTIER CRW4SA0005
$17,800.00