Cartier was founded in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier in Paris. The house soon became the favoured jeweller of the royal courts of Europe and beyond; King Edward VII of England called it the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers.

In 1904 Louis Cartier created the Santos for his friend, the Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont: one of the first men's watches in history designed specifically to be worn on the wrist.

The legendary Tank followed in 1917, inspired by the silhouette of First World War tanks. Cartier's shaped watches, the Tank, the Santos, the Panthère and the Ballon Bleu, went on to become style icons of the 20th century.

Cartier uniquely unites the arts of jewellery and watchmaking (joaillier-horloger), and its watches are the embodiment of discreet, timeless Parisian elegance.