When you think of Cartier, you probably have a strong image of luxury jewelry. It is counted as one of the world’s top five jewelries and is very popular as the admiration of women all over the world.
Although Cartier is such a brand, it originally started from a small workshop.
How did it grow to become a high brand that celebrities around the world are captivated by?
In this article, I will explain the history of Cartier.
Establishment of the brand
The brand was founded in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier. He was 28 years old at the time and inherited a workshop from his mentor.
In 1853, he opened a jewelry boutique in Paris. In 1853, he opened a jewelry boutique in Paris, close to the royal and aristocratic residences, and it was inevitable that he would catch the attention of the upper class. As Cartier’s clientele grew to include Parisian celebrities, a major aristocrat took notice of the company.
That person was Empress Eugénie, the wife of Napoleon III. The fact that the French royal family had become fans of Cartier created a huge sensation both at home and abroad. It led to a lot of attention all over Europe.
In 1899, Cartier set up store at “13 rue de la Paix, 2nd arrondissement, Paris,” where its current headquarters is located. This district is known as “the most glamorous place in the world”.
The headquarters of Celine, Agence France-Presse, and Kenzo stand side by side.
It is a testament to Cartier’s ability to set up store in this area just 50 years after its founding.
Louis Cartier’s grandson
In 1898, Louis Cartier, the grandson of Louis François, joined the management of Cartier.
In 1898, Louis Cartier, the grandson of Louis François, joined the management of the company, fully demonstrating the jewelry aesthetic sense and management know-how he had inherited from his grandfather. He became a valued member of the royal families of England, Spain, Russia and other countries.
In the following years, Louis continued to build the foundation of the present Cartier in watchmaking and jewelry design.
The death of François and the global expansion of the brand
In 1904, the founder, François, died.
In 1909, Cartier opened a store on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue in New York City, USA.
This is a street lined with luxury boutiques, and Cartier stands proudly on it.
It was also in 1964 that Cartier opened a store in Japan. The first Cartier boutique in Japan was opened in Harajuku.
Then in 1997, the Richemont Group absorbed Cartier. In 1997, the Richemont Group absorbed Cartier, and today the company has a strong presence as a representative of the group.
Cartier’s Achievements
Cartier has made a number of contributions to the jewelry industry. One of them is the establishment of the “Garland Style”.
This was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when a revival to the traditional and aristocratic jewelry of the 18th century became the trend. Louis incorporated the traditional architecture of the 18th century into his jewelry designs. This is how the Garland style was born.
It is characterized by the use of flowers and plants as motifs in many of its pieces. The design of petals and leaves, and the natural openwork required a high level of skill.
It can be said that this design was possible only because Cartier had skilled craftsmen.
Louis Cartier crossed the Garland style with platinum to create the world’s first platinum jewelry.
He saw the beauty of the shining white color and its properties of being lighter and more flexible than gold.
In fact, it was Louis who created the “Art Deco style”.
While the Garland style was a return to the past, Art Deco is a design that uses modern technology. It is characterized by straight lines and geometric patterns. Earlier designs were curvilinear and had intricate decorations.
When Cartier used Art Deco, many other jewelry brands followed suit.
“Cartier’s use of the Art Deco style was followed by many other jewelry brands, changing the jewelry industry twice over: once with the Garland style and once with the Art Deco style.
Cartier also developed the world’s first wristwatch for men. It was called the Santos.
It was named “Santos” after the astronaut Alberto Santos Dumont.
“He wanted to be able to check the time without taking his hands off the controls.
The mainstream watches at the time were pocket watches.
At that time, pocket watches were the mainstream watches, and one hand would have to be occupied to see the time.
Thus, Louis presented a wristwatch with a leather strap in 1904. This is said to be the world’s first wristwatch for men.
The following year, the company began producing wristwatches. Rolex was founded in 1905, so it has a history that is second to none to long-established brands.
Cartier’s commitment
Because it is a jewelry brand, Cartier is particular about the quality of its jewelry.
The highest grade diamonds are used in American projects. We also have our own project called “Diamond Expert” to carefully select diamonds of higher quality.
We do not cut corners in the manufacture of watches either.
While our main business is jewelry, we have also created many masterpieces in watches.
We are proud of our history, which is comparable to that of the world’s leading watch brands. Although it is now famous for women’s watches, it originally produced watches for men.
In 2009, the company established its own workshop in Switzerland. In 2009, Cartier established its own workshop in Switzerland, where the entire process from design to production is now carried out.
Cartier’s high level of technology and the capital of the Richemont Group make this possible.
Cartier today
Today, Cartier is one of the top jewelry brands. Cartier has expanded its sales channels not only to the United States and Europe, but also to the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
The Richemont Group is the main reason why Cartier has been able to expand its scale worldwide.
Richemont is the second largest brand group in the world after the LVMH Group. The brands it belongs to are all major brands such as Ralph Lauren and Chloe.
Richemont’s marketing, which emphasizes a sense of luxury, has been successful, and the company is popular with celebrities around the world. By being absorbed into the group, Cartier’s dignity has become even higher. Today, Richemont reigns as the leading brand.
Summary
Cartier started out as a small town workshop. Cartier started out as a small workshop in a small town, but its strategy of setting up stores in the aristocracy district was successful, and it gradually grew into a brand for celebrities.
The brand’s fame skyrocketed when the French royal family became a customer. It became known throughout Europe.
When the brand joined the Richemont Group in the latter half of the 20th century, it was able to expand its sales channels worldwide.
With its quality jewelry and strong capital, Cartier continues to expand globally.
The day may soon come when Cartier will become a favorite of women around the world.