Timepieces Trade Market

Cartier : The Watchmaker

The secret of Cartier's horology lies in its perfection of forms designed with a jeweller's eye combined with sophisticated technology.
The first watches appear in Cartier's archives in 1853 - pocket watches of traditional design, together with some wristwatches that were more like bracelets with the mere addition of watch dials and hands. In the 1890's, the horological parts used by Cartier were provided by the best watchmakers of the time, namely Audemars Piguet and Vacheron & Constantin. At the very beginning of the 20th Century, Cartier's suppliers of watch and clock movements included such renowned watchmakers as Brédillard, Dagonneau and Prévost.

It was in that period, that Cartier, aware of the technical progress being made in the field of horology, decided to undertake the steps enabling the Maison to create and impose a style beyond that of jewelry. Although "grandes complications" watches were by no means discarded, it had become possible to produce smaller, simpler, more resistant and more reliable watch movements.

Under Louis Cartier, the Maison began the production of watches as well as clocks and the development of the wristwatch was given a particularly strong importance. The in-house designers and craftsmen, then, were Maurice Couët and his team for the Mystery Clocks and Joseph Vergely together with his collaborators for the watches.

Louis Cartier, however, was not against seeking talent elsewhere; apparently, his first contacts with Edmond Jaeger, "Horloger de la Marine", date of 1895. Edmond Jaeger, regarded as one of the best watch-movement designers in Paris, favored extra-flat or complicated movements. He created new calibres which were executed by LeCoultre, one of the most renowned Swiss manufactures of the time. Between 1900 and 1907, Cartier increasingly placed its orders with Edmond Jaeger who in turn entrusted the manufacture to LeCoultre. The latter produced its extra-flat movements exclusively for Jaeger from 1903.

In 1907, Louis and Pierre Cartier signed a contract with Edmond Jaeger whereby Jaeger was to supply Cartier with his extra-flat movements as well as those for repeaters, chronographs, split-seconds chronographs, calendar watch movements or movements with any other complication; the agreement also included a clause of exclusivity. Furthermore, his "creations or innovations", whether in terms of technique or design, were also reserved exclusively for Cartier. In return, Cartier agreed to place orders with Jaeger for a guaranteed amount of FF 250,000 per year, an incredible sum for the time.

This intense collaboration between an artist and a technician, both of great talent, gave birth to spectacular and refined creations, still considered such today. As a result of this partnership, Cartier's watches became thinner with diversified forms: square; oval; elongated; without or with curved profile; almond- or lozenge-shaped, while the winding crowns were jewelled with cabochon sapphires or faceted diamonds. Watch dials, which for centuries had traditionally been round, began to appear in these shapes, which consequently were enhanced by an unprecedented design of the numerals on the dials. In 1909, Cartier and Jaeger created the deployant buckle for watch straps, which was safer and more practical than the traditional "ardillon" buckle.

Watches conceived in that period are still highly sought after today, such as the wristwatch designed in 1904 for aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont and launched in 1911, the "Tonneau cintrée" (1906) of which the curved shape made it more comfortable to wear, the "Tonneau" with cabochon lugs (1908), the square one, or that with bar-lugs with "armurier" screws (1909). The "Tortue" model was launched in 1912 and, in the same year, an oval watch of "forme baignoire" (bath-tub shape). A year later a wristwatch with central lugs was created. The first "Tank" wristwatch, originally designed in 1917, appeared on the market in 1919. It was later produced in such variations as: "cintrée", "chinoise", "L.C." (Louis Cartier), etc.. and ail have been a great success ever since. In 1923, a innovative design of lugs, "attaches obus", was introduced for square and rectangular cases.

In January 1919, Edmond Jaeger created a corporation to run his professional activities. The following month, the European Watch and Clock C°, Inc. was established as a manufacturing import and export company of Cartier New York. From this date, LeCoultre movements ordered by Jaeger on behalf of his client are signed EWC C°, INC. Nonetheless, for that same period, movements marked either Jaeger, LeCoultre or Cartier existed as well.

On that occasion, the first contract of 1907 was renewed but the consequences of the 1929 economic crisis forced each company back to its independence. But only in principle since, in fact, until the early 1980's a great deal of business was still being done between Cartier and Jaeger, later Jaeger-LeCoultre. From the thirties until the creation of its own horological manufacture, Cartier, still working with his ex-partner, also used movements, and at times designs, from the most renowned watch manufacturers, such as Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, Vacheron & Constantin, Piaget, Omega, Ebel and Universal.

In 1925, Jaeger introduced a technical invention, of which the repercussions would strongly influence Cartier's design of lady's wristwatches and consequently affected horological fashion in general. It was the "baguette" watch with a movement originally made on a single level and subsequently on two, (Duo-plan), in order to reduce its volume, one level being used for the escapement and the other for the wheel train.

The "Tank à guichets" and the "Tortue" single-button chronograph are produced in 1928. In 1931, an octagonal platinum Mystery pocket watch was created; in 1932 the "Réversible basculante" was launched and in 1933 Cartier patented a wristwatch with central lugs, later named "Vendôme". From 1935 to 1938, Cartier, in keeping with its reputation as innovator, produced electronic watches and clocks of which the movements were patented and marketed under the name "Delvicar".

A special movement was patented in 1939 for the first Mystery wristwatch. The "gouvernail" watch was created in 1950 and an egg-shaped watch in 1965. In 1969, Cartier London designed a timepiece of an unusual shape which inspired its name: "Crash Watch". In the same year was launched the "Maxi Oval Lady", foliowed by a gentleman's version in 1970, "Maxi Oval Gentleman". In 1972 appeared the "Reversible Cabriolet" which preceded the introduction of the Louis Cartier Collection, made in 18 carat gold with deployant buckle. The famous "Santos or et acier" wristwatch, of which the bracelet is decorated with screws, appeared in 1978 and the "Panthère" in 1983.

The "Pasha" watch was launched in 1985, so-called as a tribute to the Pasha of Marrakech, great admirer of Cartier watches. In 1993 this same watch was marketed equipped with a tourbillon. The "Tank Américaine" was produced in 1989. The "Diabolo" first came out in 1991 and, in 1994, was released as a minute repeater. Finally in 1996, the "Tank Francaise" is presented at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva.

Throughout its entire history, Cartier's vision as a jeweller was reflected in its horological creations. The Maison brought a significant contribution to the history of horology with its unique and recognisable style (forms, proportions, cabochons, lugs, dial designs) and by using the best movements. Having integrated its movement production in Switzerland, Cartier is today a watch manufacture of its own.