Most people view Cartier as a luxury fashion and jewelry brand instead of an actual watchmaker. However, if we were to look back into history, Cartier actually started out as a watchmaker. And being the pioneer in the watchmaking industry, Cartier watches are simply timeless and are definitely worth the investment.
Cartier’s iconic design of a square watch with white dial and roman numerals often stand out like no others. And to-date, record shows that Cartier’s watches remain at good appreciating resale value.
One of my favorite and Cartier’s best-selling watch, the Cartier Tank Francaise Auto is often regarded to be one of the best value watch.
Do Cartier Watches Retain their value?
Cartier watches do not just retain their value, they in fact keep their value like appreciating gold. Most of the classic Cartier watches are resold at higher value because like they are recognized as a vintage timepiece legacy that will last a lifetime when maintained properly.
Cartier watches are regarded as luxury commodities as Cartier’s rich history of being a jewelry designer simply means that they spare no expense for using the highest quality precious metals when manufacturing their watches. In addition, Cartier has their own high-tech watchmaking laboratories which produces high-quality watches with the highest precision.
Just visit any watch shop dealer and you will be surprised how much Cartier watches are valued by collectors and dealers all around the world. Especially in auctions, pre-own Cartier watches are often fetched at astronomical prices and it comes as no surprise to all.
Is Cartier a good Watch Brand?
Cartier’s reputation to be the best jeweler in the world is often overshadowed by the fact that Cartier actually started out as a watchmaker instead of a luxury fashion and jewelry brand. Many considered Cartier to be a fashion brand but Cartier’s long and rich history in watchmaking is no myth.
Cartier has laboratories all around the world which research and develops the highest precision watches with numerous horological innovations.
With Cartier’s history of being the best jeweler in the world and one of the leaders of the watch making industry, anyone can be assured that they are getting the highest quality watch from Cartier in terms of the technology in the watch and materials used by Cartier to produce the watch.
Where are Cartier Watches made?
Cartier watches are made in Switzerland. Cartier’s headquarters is in a small and town of Switzerland called La Chaux-de-Fonds, many calls it the City of Watchmakers – Where most of the cutting edge watch innovations and watch leaders like Breitling, Tag Heuer, Zenith and Rolex laboratories are located.
Cartier’s watch business today is spread across six production sites in Switzerland:
- La Chaux-de Fonds: Corporate headquarters and haute horlogerie
- Glovelier- stamped cases
- Les Brenets- cases/ assembly
- Fribourg- cases/ assembly
- Geneva- Geneva Seal haute horlogerie
- Couvet: team of 300 producing standard movements and quartz
As you can see, each site has its own specialty and together they cover the full range of parts and components that go into making the brand’s range of quartz and automatic watches, as well as the hand-made haute horlogerie masterpieces.
Which Cartier Watch to buy?
We would usually recommend a few of our favorite timepieces – But this time, we will just recommend one of our all-time favorite timeless Cartier watch for its iconic and impeccable design, which we know you will love it too.
Introducing to you the Cartier Santos collection. One of our personal favorite for its overall iconic design and build quality. The thoughtfulness of its design speaks for themselves.
When I first saw Cartier relaunching the Santos collection, I know that I must definitely get my hands on it. On first glance, the Santos often seem like an overly fine watch but as I wear it every day, my love for it kind of grew and it definitely raises the bar for something I feel it is worth for.
If you know about the history of Cartier’s Santos collection, it is generally the first wrist watch in the world that was accepted for being worn on the wrist. In the past, people were still using pocket watches and even strapping their pocket watches onto their wrist! Hence, the Cartier’s Santos collection was the pivoting point for the watch industry – a wristwatch.
The story behind Cartier’s Santos collection is indeed an interesting one. Back in 1904, the founder of Cartier, Louis Cartier made a wristwatch for his good friend Alberto Santos-Dumont, a pilot who needed a watch so that he could check the time without taking his hands off the controls of the aircraft. It was a great deal for Alberto Santos-Dumont because it made it so convenient for him to check the time without having to risk his life for it, literally.
And a few years later, Cartier started to produce this type of wristwatch and named it ‘Santos’ – Which we all now still see it as the iconic square watch. And over the years, up to today – Cartier made hundreds and if not thousands of variations to the Santos collection. It’s difficult to see how watches would look like if not for Louis Cartier’s ingenuity for the design of the initial Santos collection.