Cartier Watches
King Edward VII of England called Cartier the “jeweler of kings and king of jewelers.” Established in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier, the French maison was from its beginnings a darling of the aristocracy. But Cartier is also known for its luxury watches. It was the founder’s grandson, Louis Cartier, who cemented its reputation as a trendsetting watchmaker. In 1904, he made one of the first men's wristwatches for a friend, Brazilian coffee-plantation heir Alberto Santos-Dumont.
Although the pocket watch was the de rigueur men’s accessory of the day, Santos-Dumont, a pioneering aviator, found his own hard to consult while keeping his plane aloft. Louis fashioned a timepiece with a flat, square case on a leather strap that could be referred to easily at a glance. Named in honor of Louis’s friend, the Santos was eventually produced for sale in 1911.
Deemed daring and modern, men’s wristwatches became a vogue among the elite. Capitalizing on his success, Louis released the Tonneau in 1906. Its barrel-shaped case, another departure from the traditional round pocket watch, was embraced by other savvy watchmakers and remains a perennial favorite.
However, the Tonneau was soon eclipsed by Louis’s most iconic design. During the First World War, he was so impressed by the Renault tanks he saw on the Western Front that in 1917, he created a watch inspired by their industrial forms — the Cartier Tank watch.
Louis’s inventive streak didn’t stop at men’s watches. In 1906, he took a traditional round ladies’ case and stretched it into an elegant oval. The style was later dubbed the Baignoire for its resemblance to the elongated curves of a bathtub. In 1914, he commissioned artist George Barbier to illustrate an invitation to an upcoming exhibition. The resulting Dame à la panthère marked the debut of the animal that would become synonymous with the house.
That same year, Cartier introduced its first jewel incorporating the panther motif: a diamond watch with onyx spots, the inspiration for the current women’s Panthère model. After Louis’s death, in 1942, his legacy continued in the brand’s penchant for timepieces with unusual shapes. Its ultimate expression may be the Dalí-esque Crash watch, introduced in 1967 and said to be modeled on a Baignoire pulled from a car wreck.
Browse an expansive collection of unique Cartier wristwatches and pocket watches today on 1stDibs.
Late 20th Century Cartier Watches
Diamond, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cartier Watches
20th Century Cartier Watches
20th Century Artisan Cartier Watches
Onyx, Gold Plate, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Cartier Watches
20th Century Cartier Watches
20th Century Modern Cartier Watches
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Cartier Watches
Steel, Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Cartier Watches
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Cartier Watches
Stainless Steel
1990s Cartier Watches
Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Cartier Watches
Early 2000s Cartier Watches
18k Gold, Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Cartier Watches
Yellow Gold
2010s Cartier Watches
18k Gold, Stainless Steel
20th Century Cartier Watches
Gold, Yellow Gold
1920s Art Deco Vintage Cartier Watches
Diamond, Onyx, Pearl, Ruby, White Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Cartier Watches
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Cartier Watches
21st Century and Contemporary Cartier Watches
21st Century and Contemporary Cartier Watches
Yellow Gold
20th Century Cartier Watches
2010s Cartier Watches
Stainless Steel
1950s Vintage Cartier Watches
Gold, 18k Gold
Early 2000s Cartier Watches
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Cartier Watches
2010s Cartier Watches
Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cartier Watches
21st Century and Contemporary Cartier Watches
Steel, Stainless Steel
2010s Cartier Watches
20th Century Cartier Watches
Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cartier Watches
1980s Vintage Cartier Watches
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cartier Watches
1990s Cartier Watches
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cartier Watches
21st Century and Contemporary Cartier Watches
Diamond, White Gold
20th Century Cartier Watches
2010s Cartier Watches
Steel
2010s Cartier Watches
Diamond, Emerald
20th Century Cartier Watches
Early 2000s Cartier Watches
18k Gold
Early 2000s Cartier Watches
Silver, Steel
1970s Vintage Cartier Watches
18k Gold
1990s Cartier Watches
Yellow Gold
20th Century Cartier Watches
Ruby, Stainless Steel
Early 2000s Cartier Watches
Early 2000s Cartier Watches
Silver, Steel, Yellow Gold
1990s Cartier Watches
Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold
1990s Cartier Watches
Vermeil
20th Century Cartier Watches
Early 2000s Cartier Watches
18k Gold
2010s Cartier Watches
2010s Cartier Watches
Steel
1990s Cartier Watches
Diamond, 18k Gold
Early 2000s Cartier Watches
Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cartier Watches
Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Modern Cartier Watches
Diamond, White Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
Cartier watches for sale on 1stDibs
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