CARTIER
The history of CARTIER
Cartier Louis-Francois Cartier took over his teacher Adolphe Picard's jewelry studio at 29, Rue Montorgueil in 1847. He chose to relocate to a new location on the Rue Neuve-des-Petits-Champs, and subsequently to the Boulevard des Italiens, as a result of his success.
The Second Empire was marked by a frenzy of festivals and luxury, and Paris was no exception. Princess Mathilde, Napoléon III's first cousin, provided Louis-François Cartier with a prominent clientele brought to Paris by the Universal Exhibition of 1867.
The magnificence of "a jeweler unlike any other's" masterpieces enticed the international elite. Louis-François Cartier's son, Alfred Cartier, aided his father. He was a shrewd businessman and a precious stone specialist who soon rose to prominence across Europe.
Alfred Cartier's renown benefited from a long connection with the couturier C. F. Worth, and his eldest son Louis-Joseph married the Worth granddaughter and opened a business at 13, Rue de la Paix in 1898.
Cartier's art and style became a fascination for Russian nobility and eastern aristocracy. Every member of the royal family paid a visit to the salons, and the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, named Cartier "Jeweller of Kings and King of Jewelers" and promoted the opening of Cartier London in 1902, under the direction of Jacques-Theodule Cartier, the younger son.
With pieces like the legendary mystery clocks, high fashion wristwatches, carriage clocks, and jewelry watches with oriental Art Deco designs, including the daringly colorful "Tutti Frutti" jewels, Louis Cartier not only created jewels and "objets d'art," but he also retook watchmaking traditions that had been lost for over a century. Cartier's accessories timepiece became one of the most important aspects of its business and renown.
Cartier became interested in timepieces from a young age. It didn't take long for a slew of fob and chatelaine timepieces to arrive. The first women' wristwatches were noted in Cartier account records in 1888. He designed the Santos watch for his friend and customer, Brazilian pilot Alberto Santos-Dumont, in 1904, although it was not available for purchase until 1911. Other versions, such as the Tonneau watch (1906) and the Tortue watch (1907), followed suit (1912).
By that date, Louis Cartier, with the assistance of Edmond Jaeger, had commenced the sole manufacturing of the first wristwatches at his Paris company. The third Maison Cartier was formed in New York in 1909 by Pierre-Camille, the second son, and moved to its current home of 653 Fifth Avenue in 1917.
Following World War I, Louis used his intuitive sense to foresee the manners of a reborn lady during the "Belle époque." The international elite returned to the salons on Rue de la Paix, New Bond Street, and Fifth Avenue soon after. The Cartier Tank watch was first released in 1919 and quickly became the brand's most recognizable model. The formidable new combat machine that the Americans introduced to the conflict in Europe, the tank, inspired Louis Cartier to design a robust yet attractive timepiece that became a classic.
Cartier's early men's wristwatches were completely handcrafted in France, with movements created by Jaeger, Cartier Paris, and the European Watch and Clock Co, which produced intricate movements including chronographs, minute repeaters, and digital wristwatches. Louis Cartier accomplished innovation because to the extraordinary people who worked with him, including Jeanne Toussaint, who ran the "S" department, a forerunner of the "Les Must de Cartier," which produced unique enamel, silver, and leather masterpieces.
Although the traditional pocket watch was considered the sole timepiece a gentleman should carry, Cartier had a significant effect in persuading the Parisian elite to accept the notion of wristwatches for men. Louis Cartier unquestionably lay the groundwork for a new luxury goods paradigm. Cartier's mastery in all the disciplines that made him famous was guaranteed in 1925 at the "Exposition des Arts Décoratifs." The 1929 Wall Street catastrophe ushered in a new era of architectural austerity. From 1933 till the present, Louis Cartier entrusted Jeanne Toussaint with the task of Haute Joaillerie (fine jewelry design). She was in charge of a vast network of lapidaries, stone setters, and designers. She brought gold back into vogue under the influence of the Orient. Cartier was granted a patent for the "invisible setting" in the same year (called "serti mysterieux").
Louis Cartier departed France when the Second World War broke out, and Jeanne Toussaint took over at 13, Rue de la Paix in the meantime. The "oiseau en cage," a sign of the occupation, and the "oiseau liberé," a symbol of freedom, highlighted how she proved to be Louis Cartier's ideal alter ego. In 1942, Louis Cartier and Jacques Cartier died six months apart. Pierre died in 1964 in Switzerland. The Cartier Empire disintegrated with the death of the three brothers.
Robert Hocq, the world's first manufacturer of gas cigarette lighters, produced a premium lighter in 1968, which he licensed under the Cartier brand. It shook up the market in a big way. Cartier Paris was taken over by a group of businessmen led by Joseph Kanoui four years later, and Robert Hocq was named President. Hocq was enthralled by the Maison's history and immersed himself in it, while also injecting a breath of youth and modernism into the organization and its new inventions.
In 1973, he completed "Les Must de Cartier" in collaboration with Alain Dominique Perrin, who was in charge of the Cartier lighter at the time and whom he delegated development and administration to. The first "Must de Cartier" store opened in Biarritz the following year, followed by another in Singapore. The Santos de Cartier watch was developed in 1978 to honor the pilot Santos Dumont. The foundation of Cartier Monde, which reunified and controlled Cartier Paris, Cartier London, and Cartier New York in 1979, marked the historic climax of Cartier's interests around the world.
Cartier launched over 100 new models to its portfolio in the 1980s, constantly staying one step ahead of the competition. Must de Cartier was Cartier's first perfume, released in 1981. Micheline Kanoui took over as jewelry designer in 1982 and debuted her first collection, "Nouvelle Joaillerie." By forging an alliance between the business and living artists, Alain Dominique Perrin formed the "Fondation Cartier pour l'art Contemporain" (the Cartier Foundation of Contemporary Art) in 1984.
Cartier created the Cartier Pasha watch the next year as an homage to authority. In 1988, the Cartier company bought the majority of Piaget and Baume & Mercier's holdings, and in 1989, the Petit Palais hosted the first major "l'Art de Cartier" exhibition. Alain Dominque Perrin formed the "Comite International de la Haute Horlogerie" in 1991 with the goal of increasing the impact of High Watchmaking. The 1st Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie was held in April of that year. This location in Geneva has become the yearly gathering spot for specialists in High Watchmaking, which today includes 16 companies.
The Hermitage museum in Saint Petersburg hosted Cartier's second major "l'Art de Cartier" exhibition in 1992. In the same year, the book "l'Objet Cartier" was published, which documented the riches and diversity of Cartier's almost 150-year-long collection of items. Cartier, Alfred Dunhill, Montblanc, Piaget, Baume & Mercier, Karl Lagerfeld, Chloé, Sulka, Hackett, Seeger, and James Purdey and Sons formed the "Vendôme Luxury Group" in October 1993, bringing together the brands of Cartier, Alfred Dunhill, Montblanc, Piaget, Baume & Mercier, Baume & Mercier, Karl Lagerfeld, Chloé, Sulka, Hacket.
The Cartier Foundation relocated to the Rive Gauche in 1994 and launched their new offices, an architectural masterpiece built by architect Jean Nouvel just for them.
The Cartier Pasha C watch was designed in 1995 to commemorate the Pasha de Cartier's tenth anniversary. 1996 was a watershed moment for Cartier. Cartier designed the Tank Francaise watch. Cartier started the new century with the Cartier Roadster watch in 2002, and the Cartier Santos 100 watch in 2004 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Louis Cartier's Cartier Santos watch from 1904. Finally, the Cartier Pasha 42mm watch was released in 2005.
Shaped watches, whether simple or complex, elicit a level of expertise and passion for the art that the jeweler-watchmaker has always been able to refresh and improve. Watches that will go down in history, defining the legacy of a Maison that is known all over the globe and appears to embody an everlasting style.
Cartier wants to continue to develop and nurture its own style and competence in the future.