The Cartiers: Watches

Cartier started making men’s #wristwatches in the early 20th century. It was a ground-breaking move at a time when watches, with a diamond or silk strap, were the preserve of women (men wore the #pocketwatch). So the Cartiers not only created a new item but had to make it fashionable. They did this by working with early ‘brand ambassadors’. Today it might be the Hollywood star that brands hope will wear their creations, back then one of the most famous celebrities was an aviator. #AlbertoSantosDumont was a character, known for getting around Paris in an early flying machine and tying it to lampposts as he popped into bars for a glass of champagne! He was also a friend of Louis Cartier. When Louis made his first men’s watch for Santos, the association with him was brilliant publicity. A few years later came the famous Tank watch. Again this demonstrated the Cartiers’ avant-garde marketing. In French, the word for watch is feminine, “la montre”. By naming one of his early watches after the tanks in the war (the shape of the caterpillar treads was said to have inspired the design), Louis gave his new timepiece a masculine sounding name ‘Le Tank,’ tapping into the mentality of the day. Some men preferred to stick with their pocket watches, including Alfred Cartier, but in time Cartier’s new watches became something of a status symbol: Andy Warhol, when asked why he never wound his, exclaimed “I don’t wear a Tank to tell the time! I wear a Tank because it is the watch to wear!” And they weren’t limited to men: #JackieKennedyOnassis was one of many stylish women to wear one (her husband JFK called the Tank “France’s greatest gift to America since the Statue of Liberty”). After WW2, my grandfather told me that watches became even more important as large items of jewellery were frowned upon in a period of austerity (timepieces were more justifiable as they were functional). He worked with the best craftsmen to ensure each handmade watch, like the iconic #cartiercrash, was top of the range both mechanically and aesthetically. Hope this video helps bring the history to life.

[@ashtontroy7535]

Dis Video got me saying WTF when you said My grandfather . your an actual LEGEND .

[@matthewmarston5149]

Cartier Dumonts = Brother and Sister, Cartier Brickell = Prince Duke Sir Matthew's Children..

[@matthewmarston5149]

"Paint it with France" : got tired of English in French tu watch me make them all and watch them too

[@matthewmarston5149]

Jean Jacques Cartier = Uncle

[@matthewmarston5149]

Alora Bora = Rachael Cartier Brickell Cousin?

[@matthewmarston5149]

Alora Bora = Rachael Cartier Dumonts, Sister