Cartier

Louis-François Cartier founded the company in 1847 when he took over his master Adolphe Picard's jewelry workshop in Paris. His son Alfred expanded the business, and Alfred's three sons - Louis, Pierre, and Jacques - established Cartier internationally, with boutiques in London (1902) and New York (1909). Louis Cartier created the Santos wristwatch in 1904 for Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. In 1907, Cartier signed an exclusive movement supply contract with Edmond Jaeger. The Tank watch was introduced in 1919, inspired by the Renault tanks of World War I. The company remained under family control until 1964, when Pierre's descendants sold the business. In 1972, Robert Hocq and a group of investors led by Joseph Kanoui acquired Cartier Paris, later repurchasing the London and New York branches. Les Must de Cartier launched in 1976 as a diffusion line. Cartier Monde unified all branches in 1979. The Vendôme Luxury Group was formed in 1993 with Cartier as its flagship. Richemont absorbed the Vendôme group in 1998.