The Elegance and Splendor of Cartier
Louis Cartier
For over a hundred years, the name Cartier has been one of the most admired for creativity and excellence. From the beginning, as a small Parisian salon in 1847, the House of Cartier established an international reputation for style, quality, and craftsmanship. Cartier has received seventeen royal appointments including the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII), the King of Portugal, the Queen of Spain, and the Grand Dukes of Russia.
Louis François Cartier created jewelry for the Empress Eugénie, who was particularly fond of works inspired by the period of Louis XVI. In 1898 Louis Cartier embarked with his father Alfred on a most innovative era. In 1904 Cartier created the world's first wristwatch for pioneer Alberto Santo Dumont and in the 1917 the Tank watch in honor of the American Tank Corps. Cartier also made some of the most beautiful and elaborate Mystery Clocks from about 1913 onwards which remain true collector’s items to this day.
Cartier's Creativity
Another Cartier innovation was the first use of platinum. The strength of the metal allowed for exquisitely delicate settings designed so that only the precious gems themselves could be seen. Louis liked how the lightness and strength of the metal allowed him to create an almost lace-like effect where the diamonds or other gemstones appeared to float in air. Louis Cartier revolutionized the jewelry world as the foremost creator of the Art Deco style, a style which today is as current as it was in the 1920's. Cartier also initiated precious objects d'art which are treasured for their inventive and elegant design as well as for the beauty of their precious and semi-precious materials.
Cartier Paris
Alfred Cartier took over the company from his father Louis Francois in 1874. In 1898 the Cartier firm made a final move in Paris and they still remain at 13 Rue de La Paix, in the heart of Parisian elegance and luxury. The rue de la Paix was one of Paris’s most expensive streets, and offered everything an elegant wealthy woman may wish to purchase. Cartier set a direction by moving to the rue de la Paix and other jewelers followed suit by relocating to the rue de la Paix and nearby Place Vendome. That area of Paris soon became the center of international jewelry. As the brand became increasingly well-known, Cartier expanded their empire, opening a London branch in 1902 and in a New York branch in 1909. Cartier jewelry will stand out and one won’t have to look for a signature to confirm its origin. The firm has managed to display a flair and craftsmanship for which it has become rightly famous across the world.
Cartier jewelry continues to be desired for its sophistication and elegance by a international clientele and many of the designs have become truly iconic. They feature exceptional, master craft designs that have a story of evolution behind each product, and exceptional quality that makes Cartier a must have.
