When Louis-François Cartier took over his master’s Parisian workshop in 1847, he gave the brand new company his own family name, not as a symbol of vanity, but as a promise. The Cartier family, you see, had long held an unofficial family motto: “never copy; only create.” When Louis-François christened the new jeweler “Cartier”, he was holding the brand to the same standards of excellence and innovation he held his family members to. That vow to greatness continued through the Cartier family line, as Louis-François’ son Alfred, and later, his grandsons Louis, Pierre, and Jacques worked to make Cartier a name known worldwide. Within only a few decades of its foundation, Cartier had established branches in Paris, London, and New York, and had risen to become the chosen jeweler of everyone from the British royal family to the world’s first aeronauts to soldiers on the front lines of WWI. So seriously did Cartier take its promise of innovation that the brand’s iconic watch, the Tank, modeled after WWI tanks, is often credited with single-handedly popularizing the wristwatch. Yes, you read that right. Single. Handedly.
For your classic Christmas cutie, consider a Ballon Bleu de Cartier
A relatively new design by Cartier standards, the Ballon Bleu de Cartier made its debut in 2007 and its elegantly timeless and iconic appearance immediately cemented the watch as a Cartier staple. Worn by the likes of Kate Middleton, Sofia Vergara, and Julianne Hough, the Ballon Bleu de Cartier is a timepiece singularly dedicated to grace, simplicity, and clarity. Just as much a beguiling piece of jewelry as it is an exquisite Swiss-made timepiece, this Cartier watch departs from the brand’s tendency to focus on square or octagonal faces in favor of a stunningly simple round face. The clear, open face is carefully sculpted with a unique case shape, reminiscent of a pebble, which allows light to dance off the watch beautifully.
Comfortable, elegant, and feminine, this ubiquitous piece of jewelry possesses the capacity to be dressed up or down. Don’t believe us? Check out photographs of Kate Middleton’s appearances with her 33 mm Ballon Bleu de Cartier in steel. The Duchess of Cambridge has worn her favorite timepiece to casual events like family outings with the little princes as well as to formal events like weddings, balls, and christenings—and she’s a royal, so you can trust her on style etiquette! Kate’s signature timepiece may be the original Ballon Bleu design in simple steel, but that is far from the only design option when it comes to this incredibly adaptable Cartier watch. The sheer number of variations available—in case size, metals, bands, bezel designs, the color of hands, numerals, and dials, and more—means that there’s a Ballon Bleu de Cartier watch out there for just about everyone. Say goodbye to Blue Christmas and say hello to Ballon Bleu Christmas!
For your adventurous Advent angel, consider a Panthère Jewelry Watch
For years, “less is more” characterized most people’s view on fashion and accessories and jewelry in particular. Nearly two years indoors has changed the way we as a society approach fashion, however. Maximalism, as we have told you before, has been slowly churning beneath the surface of fashion houses like Gucci and Versace in recent years, but with an entire generation shunted inside and craving expression, the dam has officially broken. 2022 is going to be about joy and life expressed through fashion, and Cartier, ever on the forefront of innovation, is leading the way with the launch of the Panthère Jewelry Watch collection. Emulating the panther’s magnetism, power, and elusivity, Panthère Jewelry Watches reimagine classic Cartier models like the Ballon Bleu or the Maillon by adorning them with elaborate big-cat designs. Suggesting all the grace and prowess of these big cats, while also emphasizing the feline danger of these predators, some of the small model La Panthère watches crown their Ballon-Bleu-inspired cases with a fearsome panther’s head sculpted of 18k yellow gold or 18k rose gold. With pear-shaped tsavorite eyes glimmering dangerously, black lacquer spots and noses, and luxurious 18k gold bracelets, these Cartier watches embody the idea of dangerous beauty.
Larger model Panthère Jewelry Watches, like the Panthère Divine watch, the Panthères et Colibri watch, or the Rêves de Panthères watch feature 40+ mm rhodiumized 18k white gold cases studded with diamonds. Across these larger faces, miniature panthers prowl, moving against black dials like cats in the night. Instead of paint, the jewelers at Cartier cleverly composed their cat portraits out of brilliant-cut diamonds accented with black lacquer spots and emerald eyes. So, when a ray of light bounces off the watch-face and captures the shine of these brilliant-cut diamond creations, they appear to move, as the panthers chase after 18k rose gold birds or stare up at a starry night sky. No need to consult a Christmas catalog for gifts now, right?