Cartier SA
Encyclopedia
Cartier S.A., commonly known as Cartier (ˈkɑrti.eɪ, kaʁtje), is a French luxury jeweler and watch manufacturer. The corporation carries the name of the Cartier family of jewellers whose control ended in 1964 and who were known for numerous pieces including the "Bestiary
" (best illustrated by the Panthère brooch of the 1940s created for Wallis Simpson), the diamond necklace created for Bhupinder Singh the Maharaja of Patiala
and in 1904 the first practical wristwatch, the "Santos." Cartier SA is headquartered in Paris.
The company has a long and distinguished history of serving royalty, as well as stars and celebrities. One Prince of Wales hailed Cartier as "Joaillier des Rois, Roi des Joailliers" (Jeweller to Kings, King of Jewellers"). Cartier received an order for 27 tiaras for the coronation of the future British King. King Edward VII
was crowned in 1902 and in 1904 he honoured the Company with the Royal warrant
of supplier to the Royal Court of England. Similar warrants soon followed from the courts of Spain, Portugal, Russia, Siam, Greece, Serbia, Belgium, Romania, Egypt and finally Albania, and also from the House of Orleans and the Principality of Monaco.
in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier when he took over the workshop of his master. In 1874, his son Alfred Cartier took over the administration of the company, but it was Alfred's sons Louis
, Pierre
and Jacques
, who were responsible for establishing the worldwide brand name of Cartier.
In 1904, the Brazilian pioneer aviator, Alberto Santos-Dumont
complained of the unreliability and impracticality of using pocket watches while flying to his friend Louis Cartier. Cartier designed a flat wristwatch with a distinctive square bezel. This watch was not only a hit with Santos-Dumont, but also with Cartier's many clients. Thus, out of this timeless design, the "Santos" was born. This was the first men's wristwatch (Patek Phillipe made the first wristwatch, but for a woman and as a one-off).
Louis retained responsibility for the Paris branch, moving to the Rue de la Paix, in 1899. He was responsible for some of the company's most celebrated designs, like the mystery clocks (a type of clock with a transparent dial and so named because their works are hidden), fashionable wristwatches and exotic orientalist Art Deco designs, including the colorful "Tutti Frutti" jewels.
In 1907, Cartier signed a contract with Edmond Jaeger, who agreed to exclusively supply the movements for Cartier watches. By this time, Cartier had branches in London, New York and St. Petersburg and was quickly becoming one of the most successful watch companies in the world. The introduction of the Baignoire and Tortue models (both of which are still in production today) took place in 1912, followed by the Tank model's debut in 1917. The Cartier tank model, designed by Louis Cartier, was inspired from the newly introduced war machines on the Western Front. This line too has survived, with over thirty varieties now being made since.
In the early 1920s Cartier formed a joint company with Edward Jaeger (of Jaeger-LeCoultre
) to produce movements solely for Cartier. Thus was the European watch & clock company born, although Cartier continued to use movements from other great makers. Cartier watches can be found with movements from Vacheron Constantin
, Audemars-Piguet, Movado
and LeCoultre. It was also during this period that Cartier began adding its own reference numbers to the watches it sold, usually by stamping a four-digit code on the underside of a lug. Jacques took charge of the London operation and eventually moved to the current address at New Bond Street.
Pierre Cartier established the New York City branch in 1909, moving in 1917 to the current location of 653 Fifth Avenue, the Neo-Renaissance
mansion of Morton Freeman Plant (son of railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant
) and designed by architect C.P.H. Gilbert
. Cartier acquired the mansion from the Plants in exchange for $100 in cash and a double-stranded natural pearl necklace valued at the time at $1 million.
Among the Cartier team was Charles Jacqueau, who joined Louis Cartier
in 1909 for his entire life, and Jeanne Toussaint, who was Director of Fine Jewelry from 1933 on. After the death of Pierre in 1964, Jean-Jacques Cartier (Jacques's son), Claude Cartier (Louis's son), and Marionne Claudelle (Pierre's daughter) — who respectively headed the Cartier affiliates in London, New York and Paris — sold the businesses.
Cartier merged together in 1981 with "Les Must de Cartier", and Alain Dominique Perrin was appointed Chairman of Cartier SAA and Cartier International. The very next year, Micheline Kanoui assumed responsibility for jewellery design and launched her first collection "Nouvelle Joaillerie". In 1984, Alain Dominique Perrin founded the "Fondation Cartier pour l'art Contemporain"(the Cartier Foundation of Contemporary Art) as proof of his determination to bring Cartier without delay into the twenty- first century, by forming an association with living artists.
In 1986, the French Ministry for Culture appointed Alain Dominique Perrin head of the "Mission sur le mecenat d'entreprise" (a commission to study a business patronage of the Arts). Two years later, Cartier acquired a majority holding in Piaget and Baume & Mercier. The next year in 1989/1990 the first major exhibition of the Cartier collection was staged, at the request of a museum of international renown: "l'Art de Cartier" had a triumphant success at the Musee du Petit Palais in Paris.
Wishing to advance the influence of High Watchmaking, Alain Dominque Perrin founded an international committee in 1991, Comite International de la Haute Horlogerie, to organise the first salon international de la Haute Horlogerie exhibition which was finally held on 15 April 1991. This has become an annual meeting place in Geneva for professionals in High Watchmaking. The next year, the second great exhibition of "l'Art de Cartier" was held at the Ermitage Museum in St Petersburg. The very next year, the "Vendome Luxury Group" was formed as an umbrella company to combine Cartier, Alfred Dunhill, Montblanc, Piaget, Baume & Mercier, Karl Lagerfeld, Chloe, Sulka, Hackett, Seeger.
In 1994, the Cartier Foundation moved to the Rive Gauche and opened their new headquarters, an architectural work of art designed for them by the architect, Jean Nouvel. Following the accidental death of Robert Hocq in December of that year; his sister, Brigitte Hocq, was appointed chairman of the company. Joseph Kanoui was appointed vice president of Cartier Monde. The next year, a major exhibition of the Cartier Antique Collection was held in Asia. In the following year, the Lausanne Hermitage Foundation in Switzerland hosted the exhibition "Splendours of the Jewellery", presenting a hundred and fifty years of artistic creation by Maison Cartier. Curently, Cartier is owned, through Richmont, by the South African Rupert Family.
Paris - 13, Rue de la Paix
London - 175-177 New Bond Street
New York - 653 Fifth Avenue
Tokyo - Minami Aoyama
Bestiary
A bestiary, or Bestiarum vocabulum is a compendium of beasts. Bestiaries were made popular in the Middle Ages in illustrated volumes that described various animals, birds and even rocks. The natural history and illustration of each beast was usually accompanied by a moral lesson...
" (best illustrated by the Panthère brooch of the 1940s created for Wallis Simpson), the diamond necklace created for Bhupinder Singh the Maharaja of Patiala
Maharaja of Patiala
The Maharaja of Patiala was a maharaja in India and the ruler of the princely state of Patiala in Punjab. The first Maharaja of Patiala was Baba Ala Singh , who was granted the title by Ahmed Shah Abdali of Afghanistan in 1764....
and in 1904 the first practical wristwatch, the "Santos." Cartier SA is headquartered in Paris.
The company has a long and distinguished history of serving royalty, as well as stars and celebrities. One Prince of Wales hailed Cartier as "Joaillier des Rois, Roi des Joailliers" (Jeweller to Kings, King of Jewellers"). Cartier received an order for 27 tiaras for the coronation of the future British King. King Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
was crowned in 1902 and in 1904 he honoured the Company with the Royal warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
of supplier to the Royal Court of England. Similar warrants soon followed from the courts of Spain, Portugal, Russia, Siam, Greece, Serbia, Belgium, Romania, Egypt and finally Albania, and also from the House of Orleans and the Principality of Monaco.
Under the Cartier family
Cartier was founded in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier when he took over the workshop of his master. In 1874, his son Alfred Cartier took over the administration of the company, but it was Alfred's sons Louis
Louis Cartier
Louis Cartier was a famous French watchmaker and businessman known worldwide for elegant and extravagant watch designs. He was passionate about mechanical pocket watches and had the goal of creating his own line of timepieces...
, Pierre
Pierre Cartier (jeweler)
Pierre Camille Cartier was a French jeweler. He was one of three sons of Alfred Cartier and the brother of Jaques Cartier and Louis Cartier...
and Jacques
Jacques Cartier (jeweler)
Jacques-Theodule Cartier was one of three sons of Alfred Cartier and the brother of Pierre Cartier and Louis Cartier. Pierre's grandfather, Louis-François Cartier had taken over the jewellery workshop of his teacher, Adolphe Picard, in 1847, thereby founding the famous Cartier jewellery...
, who were responsible for establishing the worldwide brand name of Cartier.
In 1904, the Brazilian pioneer aviator, Alberto Santos-Dumont
Alberto Santos-Dumont
Alberto Santos-Dumont , was a Brazilian early pioneer of aviation. The heir of a wealthy family of coffee producers, Santos Dumont dedicated himself to science studies in Paris, France, where he spent most of his adult life....
complained of the unreliability and impracticality of using pocket watches while flying to his friend Louis Cartier. Cartier designed a flat wristwatch with a distinctive square bezel. This watch was not only a hit with Santos-Dumont, but also with Cartier's many clients. Thus, out of this timeless design, the "Santos" was born. This was the first men's wristwatch (Patek Phillipe made the first wristwatch, but for a woman and as a one-off).
Louis retained responsibility for the Paris branch, moving to the Rue de la Paix, in 1899. He was responsible for some of the company's most celebrated designs, like the mystery clocks (a type of clock with a transparent dial and so named because their works are hidden), fashionable wristwatches and exotic orientalist Art Deco designs, including the colorful "Tutti Frutti" jewels.
In 1907, Cartier signed a contract with Edmond Jaeger, who agreed to exclusively supply the movements for Cartier watches. By this time, Cartier had branches in London, New York and St. Petersburg and was quickly becoming one of the most successful watch companies in the world. The introduction of the Baignoire and Tortue models (both of which are still in production today) took place in 1912, followed by the Tank model's debut in 1917. The Cartier tank model, designed by Louis Cartier, was inspired from the newly introduced war machines on the Western Front. This line too has survived, with over thirty varieties now being made since.
In the early 1920s Cartier formed a joint company with Edward Jaeger (of Jaeger-LeCoultre
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Jaeger-LeCoultre is a high-end luxury watch and clock manufacturer based in Le Sentier, Vaud, Switzerland. In addition, Jaeger-LeCoultre also has a long tradition of supplying movements and parts to other prestigious watch companies in Switzerland. Since 1996, Jaeger-LeCoultre has been a fully...
) to produce movements solely for Cartier. Thus was the European watch & clock company born, although Cartier continued to use movements from other great makers. Cartier watches can be found with movements from Vacheron Constantin
Vacheron Constantin
Vacheron Constantin is a Swiss manufacture of prestige watches and a brand of the Richemont group. Considered by watch enthusiasts to be one of the finest traditional watch makers in the world along with Patek Philippe & Co., Jaeger-LeCoultre and Audemars Piguet.It employs around 400 people...
, Audemars-Piguet, Movado
Movado
Movado is a Swiss luxury watch company whose name is Esperanto for "continuous movement". Movado was founded in 1881 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland by Achilles Ditesheim....
and LeCoultre. It was also during this period that Cartier began adding its own reference numbers to the watches it sold, usually by stamping a four-digit code on the underside of a lug. Jacques took charge of the London operation and eventually moved to the current address at New Bond Street.
Pierre Cartier established the New York City branch in 1909, moving in 1917 to the current location of 653 Fifth Avenue, the Neo-Renaissance
Neo-Renaissance
Renaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...
mansion of Morton Freeman Plant (son of railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant
Henry B. Plant
Henry Bradley Plant , was involved with many transportation projects, mostly railroads, in the U.S. state of Florida. Eventually he owned the Plant System of railroads which became part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad...
) and designed by architect C.P.H. Gilbert
C.P.H. Gilbert
Charles Pierrepont Henry Gilbert , most often referred to as C. P. H. Gilbert, was an American architect of the late-19th and early-20th centuries best known for designing townhouses and mansions....
. Cartier acquired the mansion from the Plants in exchange for $100 in cash and a double-stranded natural pearl necklace valued at the time at $1 million.
Among the Cartier team was Charles Jacqueau, who joined Louis Cartier
Louis Cartier
Louis Cartier was a famous French watchmaker and businessman known worldwide for elegant and extravagant watch designs. He was passionate about mechanical pocket watches and had the goal of creating his own line of timepieces...
in 1909 for his entire life, and Jeanne Toussaint, who was Director of Fine Jewelry from 1933 on. After the death of Pierre in 1964, Jean-Jacques Cartier (Jacques's son), Claude Cartier (Louis's son), and Marionne Claudelle (Pierre's daughter) — who respectively headed the Cartier affiliates in London, New York and Paris — sold the businesses.
Post-family ownership
In 1972 a group of investors led by Joseph Kanoui bought Cartier Paris. President Robert Hocq, the creator of the concept of "Les Must de Cartier" (a staff member is said to have said "Cartier, It's a must!" meaning something one simply must have) in collaboration with Alain Dominique Perrin, General Director, began introducing new products representative of the status and quality of the Cartier of the past. In 1974 and 1976 respectively, Cartier London and Cartier New York were bought back. In 1979 the Cartier interests were combined together, creating "Cartier Monde" uniting and controlling Cartier Paris, London and New York.Cartier merged together in 1981 with "Les Must de Cartier", and Alain Dominique Perrin was appointed Chairman of Cartier SAA and Cartier International. The very next year, Micheline Kanoui assumed responsibility for jewellery design and launched her first collection "Nouvelle Joaillerie". In 1984, Alain Dominique Perrin founded the "Fondation Cartier pour l'art Contemporain"(the Cartier Foundation of Contemporary Art) as proof of his determination to bring Cartier without delay into the twenty- first century, by forming an association with living artists.
In 1986, the French Ministry for Culture appointed Alain Dominique Perrin head of the "Mission sur le mecenat d'entreprise" (a commission to study a business patronage of the Arts). Two years later, Cartier acquired a majority holding in Piaget and Baume & Mercier. The next year in 1989/1990 the first major exhibition of the Cartier collection was staged, at the request of a museum of international renown: "l'Art de Cartier" had a triumphant success at the Musee du Petit Palais in Paris.
Wishing to advance the influence of High Watchmaking, Alain Dominque Perrin founded an international committee in 1991, Comite International de la Haute Horlogerie, to organise the first salon international de la Haute Horlogerie exhibition which was finally held on 15 April 1991. This has become an annual meeting place in Geneva for professionals in High Watchmaking. The next year, the second great exhibition of "l'Art de Cartier" was held at the Ermitage Museum in St Petersburg. The very next year, the "Vendome Luxury Group" was formed as an umbrella company to combine Cartier, Alfred Dunhill, Montblanc, Piaget, Baume & Mercier, Karl Lagerfeld, Chloe, Sulka, Hackett, Seeger.
In 1994, the Cartier Foundation moved to the Rive Gauche and opened their new headquarters, an architectural work of art designed for them by the architect, Jean Nouvel. Following the accidental death of Robert Hocq in December of that year; his sister, Brigitte Hocq, was appointed chairman of the company. Joseph Kanoui was appointed vice president of Cartier Monde. The next year, a major exhibition of the Cartier Antique Collection was held in Asia. In the following year, the Lausanne Hermitage Foundation in Switzerland hosted the exhibition "Splendours of the Jewellery", presenting a hundred and fifty years of artistic creation by Maison Cartier. Curently, Cartier is owned, through Richmont, by the South African Rupert Family.
Cartier today
Cartier operates more than 200 stores in 125 countries, with four emblematic boutiques world-wide:Paris - 13, Rue de la Paix
London - 175-177 New Bond Street
New York - 653 Fifth Avenue
Tokyo - Minami Aoyama
Aoyama, Tokyo
is a neighborhood of Tokyo, located in the northeastern Minato Ward. During the Edo Period, Aoyama was home to various temples, shrines, and samurai residences. The name Aoyama derived from a samurai named Aoyama Tadanari who served the Tokugawa Shogunate and held his mansion in this area...
Collections
The product range of Cartier ranges from timepieces, leather goods to accessories. Each product were made available under a set of collections. The collections at Cartier are as follow:- Happy Birthday
- Trinity de Cartier
- LOVE
- Panthère de Cartier
- Santos de Cartier
- Caresse d'orchidées par Cartier
- La Dona de Cartier
- Tank Française
- Pasha de Cartier
- Collection les must*
Timepieces
Throughout the years, Cartier have developed many different collection for its timepieces. The classic collections are as follows:- Calibre de Cartier
- Pasha de Cartier
- Ligne 21 de Cartier
- Tank
- Santos de Cartier
- Baignoire
- Tonneau
Timeline
- 1847 - Louis-François Cartier inherited the jewelry workshop at 29, Rue MontorgueilRue MontorgueilRue Montorgueil is a trendy street in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, France. Lined with famous restaurants, quaint cafés, bakeries , fish stores, cheese shops, wine shops, produce stands and flower shops, rue Montorgueil has become recognized as one of the best places for hip Parisians to...
in Paris from his master Adophe Picard, founding the house of Cartier. - 1856 - Princess MathildeMathilde BonaparteMathilde Laetitia Wilhelmine Bonaparte, Princesse Française , was a French princess and Salon holder. She was a daughter of Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte and his second wife, Catharina of Württemberg, daughter of King Frederick I of Württemberg.- Biography :Born in Trieste, Mathilde Bonaparte...
, niece of Napoleon INapoleon INapoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
and cousin to Emperor Napoleon III, made her first purchase from Cartier. - 1859 - Cartier moved the workshop to 9, Boulevard des ItaliensBoulevard des ItaliensThe boulevard des Italiens is one of the four 'grands boulevards' in Paris, a chain running east west and also including boulevard de la Madeleine, Boulevard des Capucines and boulevard Montmartre...
. Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III and regentRegentA regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of France at the time, became a Cartier client. - 1888 - Creation of the first ladies jewelry bracelet-watch.
- 1899 - Cartier moved into the its present day headquarter, situated in the prestigious location at 13, Rue de la Paix.
- 1900 - Introduction of various styles of neoclassicalNeoclassicismNeoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
jewelry mounted in platinum, which became exceptionally popular amongst aristocrats - 1902 - Cartier opened a new boutique at 4, New Burlington Street in London, on the same day with the coronation of King Edward VII
- 1904 - Cartier received its first appointment as official purveyor to King Edward VII of the United KingdomEdward VII of the United KingdomEdward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
. His consort, Queen AlexandraAlexandra of DenmarkAlexandra of Denmark was the wife of Edward VII of the United Kingdom...
purchased a necklace designed with Indian influence. Later that year, Cartier received another appointment as the purveyor for King Alfronso XIII of Spain. The first Santos watch was created by Louis Cartier, as he designed a watch to be worn on wrist with a leather strap for his friend Alberto Santos-DumontAlberto Santos-DumontAlberto Santos-Dumont , was a Brazilian early pioneer of aviation. The heir of a wealthy family of coffee producers, Santos Dumont dedicated himself to science studies in Paris, France, where he spent most of his adult life....
, a Brazilian aviator. - 1905 - Appointment as the official purveyor for King Carlos I of PortugalCarlos I of Portugal-Assassination:On 1 February 1908 the royal family returned from the palace of Vila Viçosa to Lisbon. They travelled by train to Barreiro and, from there, they took a steamer to cross the Tagus River and disembarked at Cais do Sodré in central Lisbon. On their way to the royal palace, the open...
. - 1906 - The creation of first jewellery design to incorporate the Art DecoArt DecoArt deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style, characterised by its abstract and geometric variations. The first Tonneau wristwatch was also created this year. - 1907 - Cartier held its first exhibition and sale in Saint Petersburg, at the Grand Hotel Europe. Shortly after, it was appointed as official purveyor to Tsar Nicholas II of RussiaNicholas II of RussiaNicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
. - 1908 - Appointment as official purveyor to King ChulalongkornChulalongkornPhra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chulalongkorn Phra Chunla Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama V was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was known to the Siamese of his time as Phra Phuttha Chao Luang . He is considered one of the greatest kings of Siam...
of Siam. - 1909 - Second boutique in the London was opened at 175-176, New Bond Street in London. Pierre Cartier subsequently opened a second boutique in New York as well, located at 712 Fifth Avenue. A folding buckle for wristwatches was patented in this year.
- 1910 - Pierre Cartier sold the famous blue Hope DiamondHope DiamondThe Hope Diamond, also known as "Le bleu de France" or "Le Bijou du Roi", is a large, , deep-blue diamond, now housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. It is blue to the naked eye because of trace amounts of boron within its crystal structure, but exhibits red...
to an American customer, Evalyn Walsh McLeanEvalyn Walsh McLeanEvalyn Walsh McLean was an American mining heiress and socialite who was famous for being the last private owner of the Hope Diamond as well as another famous diamond, the Star of the East...
. - 1911 - Official launch of the Santos de Cartier wristwatch, inspired by the 1904 model. Jacque Cartier travelled to India to attend the Delhi Durbar, and to the Persian Gulf.
- 1912 - Creation of the first mystery clock: Model A. A delegation from the City of Paris presented Tsar Nicholas II with the Cartier Imperial Egg (now at the Metropolitan Museum of ArtMetropolitan Museum of ArtThe Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
in New York). The first baguette-cut diamonds made an appearance. Launch of the Tortue watch. The first comet clocks were created. - 1913 - Appointment as official purveyor to King Peter I of Serbia.
- 1914 - The bezel on a lady's round wrist watch was paved with diamonds and onyx to create the first "panther" motif. Appointment as official purveyor to Duke Philippe of Orleans.
- 1917 - The New York store moved to 653, Fifth Avenue, the mansion home of Morton F. Plant which Pierre Cartier acquired in exchange for a double-strand necklace of 55 and 73 natural pearls.First studies conducted for the Tank watch.
- 1918 - Creation of batons for Field-Marshals Foch and Pétain.
- 1919 - Launch of the Tank watch. Establishment, in New York, of the European Watch & Clock Co. Inc. Appointment as official purveyor to King Albert I of BelgiumAlbert I of BelgiumAlbert I reigned as King of the Belgians from 1909 until 1934.-Early life:Born Albert Léopold Clément Marie Meinrad in Brussels, he was the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders, and his wife, Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen...
. - 1921 - Appointment as official purveyor to the Prince of Wales, future King Edward VIII who, on abdicating in 1936, became the Duke of WindsorDuke of WindsorThe title Duke of Windsor was created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1937 for Prince Edward, the former King Edward VIII, following his abdication in December 1936. The dukedom takes its name from the town where Windsor Castle, a residence of English monarchs since the Norman Conquest, is...
. Creation of the Tank cintrée watch. - 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.
- 1924 - Creation of the three-band ring and bracelet combining gold in three colours, known in the United States as Trinity. Jean Cocteau adopted the ring and made it fashionable among Parisian society.
- 1925 - Cartier made a memorable appearance at the International Exhibition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts in Paris, in the Pavillon de l'Élégance. Death of Alfred Cartier.
- 1926 - Creation of the Baguette watch. Cartier jewellery in its famous red box appeared on the Broadway stage in Anita Loos' play Gentlemen Prefer BlondesGentlemen Prefer BlondesGentlemen Prefer Blondes is a 1953 film adaptation of the 1949 stage musical, released by 20th Century Fox, directed by Howard Hawks and starring Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell, with Charles Coburn, Elliott Reid, Tommy Noonan, Taylor Holmes, and Norma Varden in supporting roles...
. - 1928 - A loyal American customer, Marjorie Merriweather PostMarjorie Merriweather Post-External links:******...
, purchased from Cartier in London earrings once worn by Queen Marie-Antoinette of France. Creation of the Tortue single pushpiece chronograph watch. - 1929 - Appointment as official purveyor to King Fouad I of Egypt and participation in the Exhibition of French Arts in Cairo.Creation of the Tank à guichets watch.
- 1931 - Creation of the mystery pocket watch.
- 1932 - Creation of the Tank basculante watch.
- 1933 - Jeanne Toussaint was made head of Cartier Fine Jewellery. 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.
- 1935 - Cartier opened in Monte Carlo.
- 1936 - Creation of the Tank asymétrique watch.
- 1938 - Cartier opened in CannesCannesCannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
. One of the smallest wristwatches in the world, by Cartier, was given to Princess Elizabeth of The United Kingdom. - 1939 - Appointment as official purveyor to King Zog I of Albania.
- 1940 - General de Gaulle founded the Free France movement in London, for which he received Cartier's steadfast support. Some of his speeches were written in the office which Jacques Cartier placed at the general's disposal.
- 1942 - Creation of the "Caged Bird" brooch as a symbol of the Occupation. In 1944, the "Freed Bird" brooch celebrated the Liberation of France.
- 1945 - Pierre Cartier was now the head of Cartier Paris. Claude, Louis' son, took the helm of Cartier New York while Jean-Jacques Cartier, Jacques' son, was the head of Cartier London.
- 1947 - Cartier celebrated its centennial.
- 1949 - The Duke and Duchess of Windsor purchased a platinum panther brooch on a 152.35 carats (30.5 g) Kashmir cabochon sapphire in Paris. Cartier would buy the brooch for its own collection in 1987.
- 1950 - Creation of a watch in the form of a ship's wheel.The legendary Hollywood actress Gloria SwansonGloria SwansonGloria Swanson was an American actress, singer and producer. She was one of the most prominent stars during the silent film era as both an actress and a fashion icon, especially under the direction of Cecil B. DeMille, made dozens of silents and was nominated for the first Academy Award in the...
appeared in Sunset BoulevardSunset BoulevardSunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
wearing the two diamond and rock crystal bracelets that she had bought from Cartier in 1930. - 1953 - Marilyn MonroeMarilyn MonroeMarilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
sang "Cartier!" in the film version of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. - 1954 - Création pour la Duchesse de Windsor d'un face-à-main en or jaune, émail noiret émeraudes représentant un tigre.
- 1955 - Creation of Jean Cocteau's sword for his election to the Académie française, to the artist's own design.
- 1956 - For her marriage to Prince Rainier, Princess GraceGrace KellyGrace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
received numerous gifts of jewellery by Cartier including her engagement ring, set with a 12 carats (2.4 g) emerald-cut diamond. - 1957 - A loyal customer, Barbara HuttonBarbara HuttonBarbara Woolworth Hutton was an American socialite dubbed by the media as the "Poor Little Rich Girl" because of her troubled life...
, purchased a tiger brooch in yellow gold,onyx and jonquil diamonds. - 1967 - Creation of new watches in London including the famous Crashwatch.
- 1968 - The Mexican actress María FélixMaría FélixMaría Félix was a Mexican film actress and one of the icons of the golden era of the Cinema of Mexico and also one of the myths of the Spanish language Cinema for her life style and personality...
commissioned Cartier to make a diamond necklace in the form of a serpent. Cartier granted Robert Hocq a licence to create an oval lighter with a retractable wheel under the Cartier name.Creation of the Maxi Oval watch. - 1969 - Cartier acquired an exceptional 69.42 carats (13.9 g) pear-shaped diamond diamond which it sold to Richard Burton. He gave it to Elizabeth Taylor. The famous Cartier Diamond was thus renamed the Taylor-Burton. Opening of Cartier in Geneva. Creation of the Love bracelet.
- 1970 - Opening of Cartier in Hong Kong.
- 1971 - Opening of Cartier in Munich.
- 1972 - Cartier Paris was taken over by a group of investors led by Joseph Kanoui.
- 1973 - Creation of Les Must de Cartier by Robert Hocq with Alain-Dominique Perrin.
- 1974 - Launch of the first leather collection in burgundy. Cartier loaned a large part of its Art Deco jewellery collection for the filming of The Great GatsbyThe Great GatsbyThe Great Gatsby is a novel by the American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. First published in1925, it is set on Long Island's North Shore and in New York City from spring to autumn of 1922....
, directed by Jack Clayton and starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. - 1975 - Cartier celebrated the centenary anniversary of the birth of Louis Cartier. Opening in Monte Carlo of the first major retrospective, "Louis Cartier: Art Deco Masterpieces".
- 1976 - First collection of Les Must de Cartier vermeil watches.Retrospective in New York entitled "Retrospective Louis Cartier: One Hundred and One Years of the Jeweler’s Art". 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.
- 1979 - Cartier Paris, Cartier London and Cartier New York were united as a single legal entity.
- 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 - Lancement des lunettes Cartier avec la collection Must. 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 in Jouy-en-Josas. Cartier became partner to the International Polo Tournament in Windsor, United Kingdom.
- 1985 - Launch of the Pasha de Cartier watch.
- 1986 - Launch of the third New Jewelry 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 Jewelry 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 the Petit PalaisPetit PalaisThe Petit Palais is a museum in Paris, France. Built for the Universal Exhibition in 1900 to Charles Girault's designs, it now houses the City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts ....
. - 1991 - Establishment of the Comité International de la Haute Horlogerie (CIHH). The first Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) was held in Geneva.
- 1992 - "The Art of Cartier" exhibition was held at the Hermitage MuseumHermitage MuseumThe State Hermitage is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. One of the largest and oldest museums of the world, it was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been opened to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display,...
in Saint Petersburg. - 1994 - The Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain moved to the Left Bank in Paris to a building on Boulevard Raspail, the work of the architect Jean Nouvel.
- 1995 - Creation of the Pasha C watch in steel. Launch of the So Pretty de Cartier perfume. "The Art of Cartier, the World of French Jewelry Art” exhibition was held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum in Japan.
- 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. "Cartier, Splendours of Jewellery", a retrospective exhibition was held at the Hermitage Foundation in Lausanne, Switzerland.
- 1997 - A jubilee year. Cartier celebrated its 150th anniversary with exceptional Fine Jewellery 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). The “Cartier 1900-1939” retrospective was held at the British MuseumBritish MuseumThe British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. - 1998 - Creation of the Collection Privée Cartier Paris Fine Watch collection.
- 1999 - Creation of the Paris Nouvelle Vague Cartier jewellery collection, inspired by Paris. "The Art of Cartier, A splendor of Time" retrospective was held at the Museo del Palacio de Bellas ArtesPalacio de Bellas ArtesThe Palacio de Bellas Artes is the most important cultural center in Mexico City as well as the rest of the country of Mexico...
in Mexico City with guest of honour the Mexican actress María Félix. The "Cartier 1900-1939" exhibition moved to the Field Museum of Natural HistoryField Museum of Natural HistoryThe Field Museum of Natural History is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It sits on Lake Shore Drive next to Lake Michigan, part of a scenic complex known as the Museum Campus Chicago...
in Chicago. - 2000 - Creation of a jewellery collection to take Cartier into the 21st century.
- 2001 - Creation of the Délices de Cartier jewellery collection. Launch of the Roadster watch. Cartier displayed the ceremonial necklace made for the Maharajah of Patiala at the 21st Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris. The intersection of Fifth Avenue and 52nd Street in New York was officially named "Place de Cartier".
- 2002 - Creation of the Tank Divan watch. The "Cartier Design viewed by Sottsass" exhibition was shown at the Vitra Design Museum in Berlin and the Palazzo Reale in Milan. It would later travel to the Daigoji Temple in Kyoto and the Houston Museum of Fine Arts.
- 2003 - Launch of the Le Baiser du Dragon and Les Délices de Goa jewellery collections. The Kimberley Process was implemented and Cartier immediately adopted measures to end trade in conflict diamonds. Cartier contributed to the "Jean Cocteau, Spanning the Century" exhibition at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris.Cartier opened a boutique at 154, Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris.
- 2004 - Marking the centenary of the Santos de Cartier watch, creation of the Santos 100, Santos Demoiselle and Santos-Dumont watches. Cartier presented "The Art of Cartier", a retrospective exhibition at the Shanghai MuseumShanghai MuseumThe Shanghai Museum is a museum of ancient Chinese art, situated on the People's Square in the Huangpu District of Shanghai, People's Republic of China.-History:...
. Presentation of the historic Star of the SouthStar of the SouthThe Star of the South, also known as Estrela do Sul, is a diamond found in Brazil in 1853. The diamond is cut into a cushion shape and weighs . The Star of the South is graded as a type IIa diamond, with a colour grading of fancy light pinkish-brown and a clarity of VS2. At the time of discovery,...
Diamond at the 22nd Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris. - 2005 - Creation of the Caresse d’Orchidées par Cartier Fine Jewellery collection. Creation of a bespoke perfume service at 13, Rue de la Paix. Cartier co-founded the Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices.Cartier gave its support to the Women’s Forum by becoming an active member.
- 2006 - Creation of the La Doña de Cartier watch. The first "Love Charity" international fundraising sale was held. Cartier presented a special award for female business entrepreneurs at the Women's Forum.
- 2007 - Creation of the Inde Mystérieuse Fine Jewelry collection.Creation of the Ballon Bleu de Cartierwatch. The Cartier 1899-1949, The Journey of a Style exhibition was held at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Museum in Lisbon. The Cartier, Innovation through the 20th Century exhibition was held at the Kremlin Museum in Moscow.
- 2008 - "The Art of Cartier" at the National Museum of art, Deoksugung, of Seoul Creation of the Ballon bleu watch.
- 2009 - "Story of.... Memories of Cartier creation" exhibition, by Tokujin Yoshioka, at the Tokyo National Museum Creation of the Santos 100 Skeletonwatch "Cartier Treasures- King of Jewellers, Jewellers to Kings" exhibition at the Palace Museum, Beijing. Creation of the "Secrets et Merveilles" Fine Jewellery collection"Cartier and America" exhibition at The Legion of Honor - Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
See also
- Fondation Cartier pour l'Art ContemporainFondation Cartier pour l'Art ContemporainThe Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain, often known simply as the Fondation Cartier, is a contemporary art museum located at 261 boulevard Raspail in the 14th arrondissement of the French capital, Paris...
- Cartier Women's Initiative AwardsCartier Women's Initiative AwardsCreated in 2006, the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards are a joint partnership project initiated by Cartier, the Women’s Forum, McKinsey & Company and INSEAD business school to encourage women entrepreneurs....
- Cartier Racing Awards
- Cartier Tank watchCartier Tank watchThe Tank is a line of watches made by Cartier. It was created by Louis Cartier in 1917, and inspired by the new Renault tanks which Cartier saw in use on the Western Front, and the prototype watch was presented by Cartier to General John Pershing of the American Expeditionary Force...
- Cartier Love braceletLove bracelet (Cartier)The Love bracelet is a famous piece of jewelry designed in 1969 by Aldo Cipullo for the French jeweler Cartier SA....