Tank Française

Cartier

In 1847, Louis-François Cartier founded Cartier in the city of Paris, the brand quickly became synonymous with luxury and innovation. They have a rich history of watchmaking, however initially, they were known for being a purveyor of haute joaillerie. It started in 1904 when a friend of Louis-François, the Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, requested a wristwatch for practical use during his flights. The result of this was the Cartier Santos, one of the first wristwatches ever made, which set off a revolution in the art of timekeeping and marked the starting point of Cartier’s remarkable history in horology.

In a way, Cartier watches have always been more than just a timepiece— and they have in some ways become iconic symbols. In 1917, the brand introduced the now famous Tank, inspired by the design of a military tank from World War I. Its rectangular shape has since become a lasting design classic, cherished by everyone from royalty and artists to Hollywood stars.

Cartier is known for bringing watchmaking expertise with artistic flair. They create unique designs that blur the line between jewelry and timepieces as well as the distinction between mens and womens. The Ballon Bleu, Pasha, and Panthère collections  to name a few.

The Maison of Cartier is unique in that they are one of the very few jewelry houses to garner as much respect from the jewelry community as well as from the watch community.