Cartier is a French luxury goods house founded in 1847 by Louis-Francois Cartier in Paris. The company is a subsidiary of Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA, the Swiss luxury conglomerate. Cartier operates across jewelry, watches, and accessories, and is one of the few luxury brands with leading positions in both the watch and jewelry sectors.
King Edward VII of England famously described Cartier as "the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers." The house has created numerous iconic designs, including the Love bracelet (1969), the Juste un Clou bracelet, the Trinity ring (1924), the Panthere motif, and the Santos watch (1904), which is considered one of the first modern wristwatches. Cartier's high jewelry collections are presented annually in Paris and feature one-of-a-kind pieces using exceptional gemstones.
In watchmaking, Cartier produces both in-house and co-developed movements. Key watch collections include the Santos, Tank, Ballon Bleu, Pasha, and Drive. The brand operates its own movement manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Cartier also produces fine leather goods, eyewear, fragrances, and accessories.
Cartier operates over 200 boutiques worldwide and sells through its own e-commerce platform. The brand's jewelry ranges from accessible fine jewelry pieces starting around $1,500 to high jewelry creations valued at several million dollars. Watch prices typically begin around $3,000 and extend into six figures for complicated and gem-set models.