Luxury Watch Brand Spotlight: Cartier

For nearly two centuries, Cartier has been adorning the crowns and wrists of royalty in France and the UK. King Edward VII of England referred to Cartier as "the jeweler of kings and the king of jewelers”. More recently, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, has been spotted wearing the Cartier Ballon Bleu watch. Cartier is associated with royalty, and wearing a Cartier watch can certainly make you feel like a king or queen.

The History of Cartier

Cartier was founded in Paris in 1847 by master jeweler Louis-François Cartier. The family business was carried on by his son Alfred, and eventually his grandsons, Pierre, Louis, and Jacques. Rooted in jewelry making such as crafting crowns for royal ceremonies, Cartier also made jewelry watches and pocket watches. Innovation came in 1904 when Louis Cartier designed a flat wristwatch with a distinctive square bezel for his friend, the Brazilian pioneer aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. Thus, the “Santos” was Cartier's first men's wristwatch.

Cartier Iconography

There are several types of imagery often associated with Cartier. First and foremost is the panthère (based on the spotted designs, panther here seems to refer more to the cheetah), the contribution of Jeanne Toussaint in 1914, representing feminine elegance, independence, and free-thinking temperament. The panthère remains iconic of Cartier to this day. Also prominent is the image of flora, most enhanced by the jeweler’s garland style designs, as well as a menagerie of fauna, from birds in full flight, to the exotic safari animals of Africa, sacred animals from Egypt, and dragons and chimera from Asia.

The Cartier Collections

Ever in pursuit of the elusive perfection of aesthetic excellence, Cartier possesses a wide range of designs. They can be seen in their various collections:

• Santos de Cartier (men’s)
• Panthère de Cartier (women’s)
• Tank
• Ronde de Cartier
• Drive de Cartier (men’s)
• Ballon Bleu de Cartier
• Ballon Blanc de Cartier (women’s)
• Calibre de Cartier (men’s)
• Crash (women’s)
• Tortue
• Clé de Cartier
• Baignoire (women’s)
• Rotonde de Cartier (men’s)
• Hypnose (women’s)

Selling Your Cartier Wristwatch

With a longstanding reputation for producing the highest quality luxury jewelry and timepieces, Cartier products always fetch a good price and you should never have any trouble selling them. However, it is necessary to approach a trusted purchaser so that you do not lose out on your timepiece’s real value. Certified jewelers and gemologists who understand the true value of luxury goods would do proper research to accurately quote you for your items. One such institution is Global Gold and Silver, with certified gemologists at each of their three stores in New York and New Jersey, as well as high praise on the Better Business Bureau and positive reviews on Yelp and Citysearch. They even have a 110% price match guarantee so you know you will definitely get the best deal. Contact Global Gold and Silver today for a quote, or visit their website to find out more!