HALPI dot com

The name Cartier has been associated with the very finest in watches for over a hundred years, and with fine objects for fifty years before that.

That reputation is well earned, since the company has long been among the creators of some of the world’s most stylish watches.

The company was founded before it was truly even a company when Louis-Francois Cartier began supplying fine items in 1847 to French royalty. Near the beginning of the 20th century, his descendants expanded the company and began making watches.

But despite the move, the origins were never abandoned. Every Cartier is made with style firmly in mind. Grandson Louis Cartier showed this with his love for pocket watches, turning a utilitarian object into a work of art. Wristwatches were not far behind.

In 1904, Louis had a fateful meeting with famed Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. The pilot was seeking a timekeeping device that would retain its reliability through the rigors of flying in those early days.

Cartier set to work and soon produced a distinctive design. Thus was born the eponymous Santos, variations of which are still produced today.

With its elegant flat, rectangular look and simple but highly elegant face, the Santos of that year would be recognizable today as the cousin of its modern counterpart.

Much has changed in the intervening century, but the Cartier commitment to style is permanent.

That commitment is evident in the Tank, a sports watch with origins in WWII. The line remains among Cartier’s most popular, thanks to its timeless styling and the superb craftsmanship that goes into making every single one.

One such item is the outstanding Pasha line, first developed for a Middle Eastern potentate, the Pasha of Marrakesh, in 1932. One of the first watertight watches in the world, it continues to be hotly sought after today.

A timeless classic among Cartier watches is the justly famed Tonneau design. A truncated oval, with curved sides and flat top and bottom, these watches are among Cartier’s most popular.

Among both vintage watch collectors and those who want the very latest in style, the Tonneau is a perpetual hit. Whether in 18kt gold, with hints of diamonds and an alligator strap, or in plain platinum with fabric, the Tonneau is a statement that says ‘Only accepts the best’.

With Louis Cartier’s death in 1942 the company suffered financial reverses for a few years, as they often do when a company loses one of its early visionaries.

But beginning in 1972, it regained its footing and continues to produce watches still highly in demand.

Cartier’s from the 1970s still sell for thousands, making this pinnacle of the horologer’s craft not only a devoutly sought work of art, but an intelligent investment.