Cartier

About Cartier

Cartier is a jeweler first, and it defined the non-round dress watch. The 1904 Santos was among the first purpose-built wristwatches, and the 1917 Tank remains one of the most recognizable designs ever made. Cartier's strength is form: Roman numerals, a rail-track minute ring, and a blued-steel or sapphire cabochon crown.

Signature models

The references that define the house — and the ones you are most likely to meet.

• Tank (Louis, Must, Française, Américaine)
• Santos
• Ballon Bleu
• Panthère
• Pasha

What to look for

Details worth checking before you trust a dial. None of them certify authenticity on their own.

• A 'secret signature' — the word 'Cartier' hidden inside a Roman numeral, usually the X at 10 o'clock
• A sapphire or spinel cabochon set in the crown
• Cleanly printed rail-track chapter ring and correct Roman numeral proportions
• A serial and reference engraved on the caseback

Facts

• The Tank was inspired by the top-view silhouette of a WWI Renault tank.
• Louis Cartier made the Santos in 1904 for aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, who wanted to check the time in flight.