How can we describe "luxury" most easily? In one word - Cartier. There is no need for you to search. In the next few lines we will tell you the fascinating story of the French jewellery company that created some of the most beautiful and charming jewels. They have been worn by majestic figures through the centuries and by royalty, and they have won the hearts of a million women. With a message to the world, Cartier does not merely immortalise luxury jewellery set with perfect diamonds, pure gold or a precise mechanism. It also creates equally sumptuous luxury perfumes, which are bought every minute somewhere in the world.
The history of the Cartier family
The year is 1847 and the place is Paris. Louis-François Cartier is the central figure of the Cartier family. An idealist with a revolutionary spirit and a different view of art in his heart, he changed the Renaissance style and established his own, recognisable to this day. Emeralds, diamonds, rubies, gold and still more gold... It was Cartier who first combined the magic of precious stones with the simplicity of clothing. Irresistible and preferred by all the ladies in the palaces and the wives of every ruler in the 17th and 18th centuries, Cartier received honours among high bourgeois society.
The growth of the Cartier empire
Before his death, Louis-François Cartier passed the craft on to his son Alfred Cartier. Having inherited his father's innovative spirit, Alfred changed the style of jewellery once again. This is how the trends of the Egyptian style and porcelain medallions appeared. For the first time, jewellery made of pure platinum was sold in the shop he opened, on the Rue de la Paix. The company grew with lightning speed. In 1902 Louis-François's grandson and Alfred Cartier's son, Pierre, opened a shop for the brand in London, and a few years after that in New York.
Cartier's first orders came from none other than the Spanish king Alfonso XII, as well as the English ruler Edward. Among the brand's clients was Tsar Nicholas II, who wished to own even a piece of the brand. Colossal quantities of massive jewellery made of pure gold were bought by the ruler of Siam, who literally showered his lovers with Cartier.
In 1907, together with Edmond Jaeger, Cartier created a collection of designer watches. Jaeger fitted the exclusive movements into the watches. Today the company has shops in London, Saint Petersburg, Paris and other places.
Pierre Cartier, his wife and daughter in 1926. *Photo taken from Wikipedia - Pierre Cartier
From the Renaissance to today
Almost two whole centuries have passed from the creation of Cartier to the present day. Over the years, the admirers and owners of the incredible jewellery, cosmetics, perfumes and accessories created by the company have been inspired and delighted by the elegance and quality of every product bearing the "Cartier" emblem. The French fashion house opens boutiques all over the world, breaks down borders and draws new contours - those of its luxurious fragrances. In the 1970s and 1980s the company began offering its first perfumes, "Must de Cartier". Among the creators are the perfumers Mathilde Laurent, Jean-Claude Ellena, Christine Nagel, Alberto Morillas, Jean-Jacques Diener, Jacques Cavallier and others.
Until recently, Cartier perfumes numbered more than 90 luxury fragrances, each of them with a grand advertising campaign. Every perfume has a hearty measure of delicacy and uniqueness - the main driving force built into the creation of every product of the French "Cartier".
Today, the most valuable works of Cartier can be seen at auctions. Louis-François himself bought back some of his jewels from his clients. They became part of his personal collection, later kept in a bank in Geneva. The tradition of collecting the house's jewels is continued by Louis-François's heirs. The unique pieces are shown only at museum exhibitions, with incredible security measures. Every new jewel enters the historical archive of Paris, London and New York. Besides jewellery, the "Cartier" brand today adorns watches, souvenirs and cosmetics.
"Cartier" today offers its clients not only expensive watches, but also incredible jewellery, eyewear, perfumes, pens, designer notebooks and much more. The fashion empire has long ceased to belong to the Cartier family. In the 1970s, led by Joseph Kanoui, the first deals to buy out the company began. In 1979 "Cartier" of Paris, New York and London merged into "Cartier Monde".
In the 1980s the company became part of the Swiss group "Richemont", also known as the second largest producer of luxury goods in the world. Today we can take a short tour of Cartier's financial results for 2004-2005: at the end of March, the fashion firm reported a net profit of 881 million euros. In other words, a 33% increase in revenue compared with the previous year.
It is true! Diamonds are forever, diamonds are a woman's best friend... Diamonds and "Cartier".
