Cartier Watches at European Watch Co.

Cartier is currently owned by the Swiss Richemont Group. After its founding in 1874 and decades of success under the control of the Cartier family, the brand found itself struggling and on the edge of bankruptcy. In 1964, the Cartier affiliates in London, New York, and Paris were sold to various investors by the great-grandchildren of founder Louis Cartier. Eventually, after years of consolidation, a group of French investors called the Monde Group managed to purchase all three affiliates and reunited the three separate houses. In 1993, the Monde Group merged with several other luxury brands, ultimately forming the base for what we now know today as the Swiss Richemont Group.

Cartier produces between 450,000 and 500,000 watches each year. The company ranks third in terms of total market share, behind Rolex and Omega, with 6.7 percent of the total market.

During the late 1970’s, Cartier introduced a line of affordable watches and jewelry known as “Must De Cartier”. Utilizing gold-plated sterling silver cases, simple dials, and basic manual wind movements, Cartier was able to significantly reduce manufacturing costs. The affordable price points made the Must de Cartier line an overnight success, but after a time, the value focused sub-brand began to de-value the overall image of the Cartier brand. In an effort to revitalize its luxury prestige, they began working on a project known as the Collection Priveé Cartier Paris, in short, “CPCP”. It was a collection of exceptional, and limited quantity precious metal watches produced by the Maison de Paris from 1998 to 2008. These watches were a callback to the bespoke luxury that Cartier built its long standing reputation on in the early 20th century. Watchmakers from various respected brands were contracted to make calibers for the CPCP. These movements were then finished to a high degree and cased in “classic” Cartier designs strictly in precious metal. At just 100-150 pieces per run, the CPCP Cartier watches have become highly collectible.

The Cartier Tank first appeared in 1917 when Louis Cartier presented a timepiece to John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. The Renault FT-17 infantry tank used in the First World War was the inspiration for Louis' wristwatch. A rectangular dial wedged between lugs that extend beyond the dial to receive a leather band, there is an immediate link when comparing this to the shape of the FT-17. The Cartier tank is a classic design that has stood the test of time and is the most popular model from the company.

Cartier was founded by Louis Francois Cartier in Paris in 1847. Passed on to Louis’ son Alfred in 1874, and then to Alfred’s sons Louis, Pierre and Jacques after that, it was the third generation of Cartier’s who were responsible for globalizing the brand. Following Pierre's death in 1964, the Cartier affiliates in London, New York, and Paris were sold to various investors. The company went through a series of ownership groups and investors and is now a part of the Richemont Group.