The Jeweler of Kings and the King of Jewelers: who founded Cartier, when, and how?

In 1847, in Paris, Louis-Francois Cartier took over his master's workshop and founded Cartier. Founded in the period between the abdication of King Louis Philippe and the establishment of the second empire, the Cartier firm initially had to overcome tough financial times of intense competition. A few weeks after the opening, a wealthy woman visited the shop and bought three brooches. This woman was the Countess of Nieuwerkerk, a friend of Napoleon Bonaparte's niece. The Countess liked Cartier's jewelry and told her friends about the studio, including important people and even Napoleon III's wife. They also liked Cartier's jewelry. The business of the Cartier boutique has grown over time.

Cartier International SNC, or simply Cartier is a French luxury goods conglomerate that designs, manufactures, distributes, and sells jewellery, leather goods, and watches. Founded by Louis-François Cartier (1819–1904) in Paris in 1847, the company remained under family control until 1964. The company is headquartered in Paris and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Swiss Richemont Group. Cartier operates more than 200 stores in 125 countries, with three Temples (Historical Maisons) in Paris, London, and New York.

At that time, jewelry was in particular demand by Napoleon III. The emperor did his best to restore the royal palace to its former glory, which was lost after internal strife and wars. Cartier jewelry was the perfect match for this atmosphere. Besides jewelry, the jeweler also made perfume jars, handbags, and other items. Moreover; King Edward VII of Great Britain referred to Cartier as "the goldsmith of kings and the king of goldsmiths". Edward VII ordered 27 crowns for his coronation in 1902 and issued a royal warrant to Cartier in 1904.

Louis-François Cartier (November 2, 1819 – May 15, 1904) was a French businessman, jeweler and watchmaker. He founded the world renowned jewelry house Cartier in 1847. He was the grandfather of Pierre Cartier, who opened the Cartier Building in New York, and internationalized the brand. He was the patriarch of the Cartier family.

Later, Louis François' son Alfred took over the business. Alfred moved the workshop to Rue de la Paix, which is more fashionable in jewelry. It was Alfred's sons Louis, Pierre, and Jacques who founded the brand worldwide. Louis managed the Paris branch.

The First Wristwatch

Although wristwatches have been in stock since 1888, they only became popular when Cartier introduced the Santos watch in 1911. The prototype model was a tribute from Louis Cartier to Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. Alberto Santos-Dumont, a friend of King Louis VII, told Louis Cartier about the difficulty of using a pocket watch while flying. Louis, on the other hand, designed a flat wristwatch with a square frame for comfortable use on the plane.

Company Growth

Cartier has produced some of the best pieces the world has ever seen. The company has produced the famous tutti frutti necklaces and bracelets today, as well as the Maharaja of Patiala necklace containing almost 3,000 diamonds. While such pieces had appeared before, the Cartier masters had managed to raise the bar tremendously under Louis' strict supervision. The company also introduced platinum to the jewelry world. Difficult to work with, Louis oversaw the creation of custom hard platinum for use in jewelry making. Lighter and stronger than both gold and silver, platinum has truly revolutionized the industry.

Unlike many companies, Cartier survived the Great Depression of the 1930s. They have achieved this by doing more business in the Far East than in the US and other affected countries. After the war ended, the company continued to expand globally. Their reputation for quality and reliability has meant that Cartier jewelry and watches are among the most sought-after anywhere.

Louis Cartier passed away in 1942. His ideas and imagination brought the brand to an important place. Afterward, the originality and creativity of the brand continued. Under the inspiration of Alain Dominique Perrin and Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier continued to evolve. In the 20th century, Cartier lived its golden age. Pierre Cartier passed away in 1964. And Cartier, which until then was the family business; was Sold to various people by Jean-Jacques Cartier (Jacques' son), Claude Cartier (Louis's son), and Marion Cartier Claudel (Pierre's daughter). However, in 1972, with the help of a group of investors led by Joseph Kanoui, Robert Hocq bought Cartier Paris. In 1974 and 1976, the group re-acquired Cartier London and Cartier New York, reconnecting Cartier worldwide. In this way, Cartier has remained a single entity until today.