Cartier

Cartier is a French jewellery and watch house established by Louis François Cartier in Paris in 1847. The family later developed the business internationally, with branches in Paris, London and New York.

Watches and jewellery

Cartier has made pocket watches, wristwatches, jewelled watches and clocks. The V&A highlights the 1904 Santos as an early modern wristwatch for men and also documents later models such as Tank and Crash. Model names and design features alone do not prove authenticity.

Identification

Examine dial, movement, case, serial number, reference and material marks together. Cartier has used outside movement suppliers and different production arrangements over time. A movement without the Cartier name is not automatically wrong, but every component must agree with model and period. Counterfeits and later assembled watches occur.

Source: Victoria and Albert Museum, About the Cartier exhibition.