Cartier
Louis-François Cartier founded his namesake company when he took over his master’s Paris workshop in 1847. His son, Alfred, eventually introduced Cartier into royal houses, establishing the jewellery house as a must-have for European elites, and throughout the early 1900s, Alfred’s sons helped bring Cartier to further worldwide renown. Signature Cartier pieces that are still in production include the Santos watch, which was developed when Alberto Santos-Dumont, an aviator friend of Louis Cartier, complained about the impracticality of using a pocket watch while flying. Cartier designed a flat wristwatch for him which launched in 1911, and, helped along by Santos-Dumont’s celebrity status, became popular at a time when men still carried pocket watches. 1919 saw the launch of the Tank watch – also designed by Louis Cartier, and Aldo Cipullo designed both the Love and Juste un Clou bracelets, in 1969 and 1971 respectively. These pieces remain iconic in Cartier’s collections to this day.
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