History of Cartier

The Prince of Wales hailed Cartier as "Joaillier des Rois, Roi des Joailliers" (Jeweller to Kings, King of Jewellers"). Cartier received an order for 27 tiaras for the coronation of the future King. King Edward V11 was crowned in 1902  and in 1904 he honoured the Company with the royal warrant of supplier to the Royal Court of England. Similar warrants soon followed from the courts of Spain, Portugal, Russia, Siam, Greece, Serbia, Belgium, Romania, Egypt and finally Albania, and also from the House of Orleans and the Principality of Monaco.

The three brothers nurtured each one, not only by receiving a cosmopolitan clientele in their salons, but embracing the world by sometimes undertaking adventurous journeys themselves.

Pierre - Camille

At the request of his brother, Louis, Pierre went to Russia to research the finest enamels and hard stone animals in order to compete with Peter Carl Faberge. In 1910 in New York, he sold his famous blue "hope" diamond to Mrs. Evalyn Mclean and strengthened his connections with clients from Finance and Modern Industry in the New World: the Rockefeller's, Vanderbilt's, Gould's, Ford's, etc.

Jacques - Theodule

From London, Jacques travelled in quest of the most beautiful fine pearls in the Persian Gulf. He went to the Indies and devoted himself to the Maharajahs' desires to have their multi-coloured treasures reset in the London studios to designs created by Cartier. Together with his brother, Pierre, he carried on and successfully completed transactions to buy a great many fabulous and historic fine pearls from Prince Youssoupov.

Louis - Joseph

In Paris, Louis received noble clients from Russia and organised several journeys to exhibitions in Saint Petersburg.  His revolutionary introduction of platinum was an innovation in the field of jewellery. He surrounded himself with gifted craftsmen (Charles Jacqueau), guaranteed the involvement of the best craftsmen (Maurice Couet, Edmond Jaeger) and found devoted colleagues (Jeanne Toussaint). He succeeded in finding a perfect harmony in his creations, classical or rare strokes of inspirations, which bare their own style, the Cartier style.

Silver Collection

In 1923, the "S" department (S for Silver) presented an elegant collection of luxury accessories and jewels which inaugurated a new perception of luxury objects: less expensive but as stylish as ever, just like the "Must de Cartier" in subsequent years.

It was managed by Jeanne Toussaint before Louis Cartier entrusted her with Haute Joaillerie (high jewellery design) in 1933.  That same year Cartier obtained the patent for the "invisible setting" (called "serti mysterieux").

Under Louis Cartier's management, the company was tirelessly innovative. Without doubt, he revolutionised the art of jewellery in all its forms and took Haute Joaillerie (high jewellery design), clock-making and Accessories to the summit of art: The Art of Cartier.

Louis Cartier died in 1942, the year in which his younger brother, Jacques, also died.

In 1968, Robert Hocq, the first maker in the world of gas cigarette lighters, created a luxury lighter which he licensed under the stamp of Cartier. This oval lighter revolutionized the market.

In 1969, Alain Dominique Perrin joined SA Briquet Cartier.

In 1972, a group of investors, brought together by Joseph Kanoui, took control of Cartier Paris and appointed Robert Hocq Chairman.

In 1973, the latter became absorbed with tradition, but also breathed youth and modernism into the organisation and its new creations. Some new lines of products were created: vermeil watches, leather goods, pens and perfumes were henceforth stamped Cartier. The first "Must de Cartier"  boutique was opened in Biarritz, followed by one in Singapore.

In 1974, Cartier London was bought by the same group of investors.  The international growth went on with the opening of the Tokyo "Must de Cartier" boutique. Robert Hocq began buying historic Cartier pieces at auction.

In 1976, another group of investors, brought together by Joseph Kanoui, bought Cartier New York whose management was handed over to Robert Hocq.

In 1979, marked the year of historic culmination in the reunification of Cartier's worldwide interests with the formation of Cartier Monde, which reunited and controlled Cartier Paris, Cartier London and Cartier New York.

Following the accidental death of Robert Hocq in the December of that year, Joseph Kanoui was appointed Chairman of Cartier Monde.

In 1981, Cartier merged with "Les Must de Cartier", and Alain Dominique Perrin was appointed Chairman of Cartier SAA and Cartier International.

In 1982, Micheline Kanoui assumed responsibility for jewellery design and launched her first collection "Nouvelle Joaillerie".

In 1984, Alain Dominique Perrin founded the "Fondation Cartier pour l'art Contemporain"(the Cartier Foundation of Contemporary Art) as proof of his determination to bring Cartier without delay into the twenty- first century, by forming an association with living artists.

In 1986, the French Ministry for Culture appointed Alain Dominique Perrin head of the "Mission sur le mecenat d'entreprise" (a commission to study a business patronage of the Arts).

In 1988, Cartier acquired a majority holding in Piaget and Baume & Mercier.

In 1989/1990 the first major exhibition of the Cartier collection was staged, at the request of a museum of international renown: "l'Art de Cartier" had a triumphant success at the Musee du Petit Palais in Paris.

In 1991, wishing to advance the influence of High Matchmaking, Alain Dominque Perrin founded an international committee, Comite International de la Haute Horlogerie, to organise the first salon international de la Haute Horlogerie exhibition which was finally held on 15th April, 1991. This has become an annual meeting place in Geneva for professionals in High Matchmaking.

In 1992, the second great exhibition of "l'Art de Cartier" was held at the Ermitage Museum in St Petersburg.

In 1993, the "Vendome Luxury Group" was formed as an umbrella company to combine Cartier, Alfred Dunhill, Montblanc, Piaget, Baume & Mercier, Karl Lagerfield, Chloe, Sulka, Hackett, Seeger.

In 1994, the Cartier Foundation moved to the Rive Gauche and opened their new headquarters, an architectural work of art designed for them by the architect, Jean Nouvel.
 

In 1995, a major exhibition of the Cartier Antique Collection was held in Asia.

In spring 1996, the Lausanne Hermitage Foundation in Switzerland hosted the exhibition "Splendours of the Jewellery", presenting a hundred and fifty years of artistic creation by Maison Cartier.

Today Cartier is a major participant in the luxury market and occupies a leading position in jewellery, watch-making and luxury goods.