Cartier Watches and Time

Cartier Watches and Time

The House of Cartier, a true dynasty of style, elegance and fine craftsmanship, was founded in 1847 by Louis-Franois Cartier, master jeweler to Europe's crowned heads. By the early 20th century, his three grandsons, Louis, Jacques and Pierre, were successfully managing Cartier boutiques in Paris, London and New York.

The first true Cartier wristwatch, the Santos, designed by Louis and named for Alberto Santos-Dumont, a dashing Brazilian aviator, was introduced in 1904. Jeweled replica watches followed soon after in 1906. In 1910, Louis created and patented the deployant folding clasp. 1917 saw the introduction of the famous Cartier Tank watch. Long regarded as the single most important and influential watch design of the 20th century, the distinctive timepiece was designed in tribute to the Allied Tank commanders who helped defend France during World War I.

In 1933, Cartier was commissioned by the Pasha of Marrakech to create a watch he could wear while swimming. As one of the earliest truly water-resistant designs, the watch featured an attractive round case of solid gold.

Nowdays, the Cartier replica watches designers draw on the astounding design archives, patents and collections left by Louis Cartier, who was a famous French watchmaker and businessman known worldwide for his elegant and extravagant designs in watch. Most of the Cartier collections during the same period are based on Louis distinctive design classics such as the Panther, the Santos, the Diabolo, the Tank, the Bagnoire, the Pasha and the Tonneau. In 1996 the Cartier Tank Francaise was introduced, a model which is today considered a classic example of style and design. The Cartier Tank Francaise comes in three sizes (small, midsize, and large) and offer offered with many kinds of movements from quartz to automatic. This remarkable timepiece is the first to incorporate a perpetual calendar with a chronograph, automatic time zone changing capability.