Louis-François Cartier (1819-1904) took over the jewelry workshop of the master-craftsman Adolphe Picard at 29 Rue Montorgueil in Paris.
Princess Mathilde, the niece of Napoleon I and cousin to Emperor Napoleon III, made her first purchase from Cartier in 1856.
In 1859, Cartier moved to 9, Boulevard des Italiens.
The first jewelry bracelet watches for ladies were created in 1888.
One year later, Cartier opened its doors at 13 Rue de la Paix. Louis Cartier (1875-1942), eldest son of Alfred (1841-1925), had been in business with his father for a year.
Crowned heads and aristocrats from around the world flocked to buy neoclassical diamond jewelry mounted in platinum.
Pierre Cartier (1878-1964), Alfred’s second son, opened a Cartier boutique at 4 New Burlington Street in London. The opening coincided with the coronation of King Edward VII.
In 1905, Cartier was appointed as the official purveyor to King Carlos I of Portugal.
The first jewelry to prefigure the Art Deco style – recognizable by its abstract, geometric forms – was created in 1906.
Four years later, Pierre Cartier sold the blue Hope Diamond to an American customer, Evalyn Walsh McLean.
Today, Cartier is a symbol of heritage, excellence, and art in jewelry and timepieces.
