Cartier is one of the most well-known luxury fashion brands in today’s world. Cartier is also a massive player in the watch world, but are Cartier watches luxury watches?
Cartier is considered a luxury watch brand due to its rich history, high-quality watches, and use of in-house movement. A Cartier watch is an overall masterpiece in terms of quality and craftsmanship and definitely deserves the title of a luxury watch.
It may come as a shocker that Cartier is a luxury watch brand, as that’s a title that’s not gained easily. In this article, we’ll explain precisely why a Cartier watch is considered to be a luxury watch!
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Is Cartier A Luxury Watch Brand?
When you think of Cartier, you’re probably thinking of fashionable clothing and jewelry (yes, watches are jewelry, but we mean the other types of jewelry here!).
But if you take a quick look at Cartier’s history, you’ll see that Cartier actually started out as a watchmaker. And as such, Cartier has made tremendous strides in the watch world. As of now, Cartier has a 6.7% market share when it comes to watches, sitting only behind Rolex and Omega.
But in today’s day and age, Cartier is a brand best known for its fashion and jewelry. And as we discussed in our article about Fossil watches, the term ‘fashion watch’ typically means that a watch is primarily made to look good and sell easily (in other words, they’re mass-produced).
Cartier definitely does not produce these so-called ‘fashion watches’. In fact, Cartier watches are regarded as luxury watches. In order to be considered a luxury watch brand, there are a few things that play a role; the price, the brand’s name, the movement, and the materials used.
The Movement
The movement has to be made in-house for a watch to be considered a luxury watch. This is one of the main reasons why brands like Tissot or TAG Heuer are actually not considered to be luxury watches. This doesn’t mean that those watches are bad, the opposite actually, but it does revoke their ‘luxury’ title.
Cartier makes their own movements right in the heart of ‘Watchmaker City’ La Chaux-de Fonds, thus ticking this box for Cartier watches to be luxury watches.
The Materials Used & The Manufacturing Process
Luxury watches are expensive, and part of that is because of how they’re marketed, but the materials that are used to make the watch also play a role. You can imagine that making a golden watch with actual gold is a lot more expensive and luxurious than a watch made out of plastic and silicon.
In the case of Cartier, they only use high-quality materials:
- Top-tier stainless steel
- 18K Gold
- Pure Platinum
On top of that, a Cartier tradition; the crown is accompanied by a tiny blue sapphire.
The dial is covered by a sapphire crystal, which is the piece of ‘glass’ that sits on top of the dial. A sapphire crystal is by far the best possible material for the watch face, as it can only be scratched by diamonds.
Aside from using high-quality materials, Cartier also makes all their watches by hand. Every year, around 700.000 Cartier watches are produced.
The Brand’s Name & The Exclusivity & The Price
Luxury watches are not only luxurious because of the materials used, but also because of the general perception of the brand. Yes, the materials and use of an in-house-made movement are important, but most brands receive that ‘luxury’ status because of their name, price point, and exclusivity.
Think about it; not everyone can buy a watch from brands like Rolex or Audemars Piguet. They’re super expensive, and the high price point creates a massive barrier to entry.
Just the name of those brands lets people know you have a sought-after, scarce, and expensive product.
The same goes for Cartier. With an average price of $3,500 a watch, and prices that go as high as $250,000 and up, not everyone will just be able to afford it.
And even if everyone could afford these prices, Cartier only makes about 700.000 watches per year, keeping the supply low while the demand is high. This once again creates exclusivity and scarcity, adding to the luxurious feel.
Are Cartier Watches Worth The Money?
Cartier watches are definitely worth the money, as they are high-quality watches made with luxurious and top-notch materials. Behind every Cartier watch is a history of more than a hundred years.
Whether or not something is worth the money always comes down to you. In the case of Cartier, though, we can say that they create an excellent product that’s priced fairly, especially compared to some of the other brands in the same field.
However, it’s always debatable whether luxury watches are actually worth the incredibly high prices. That’s something you’ll have to decide for yourself. But, Cartier watches are known to hold their value well, so even though you’re spending a lot of money, chances are the watch will hold that value well into the future.
It is important to mention that a watch is never worth going into debt or financial problems over. However much you like it, a watch is just that; a watch. Your financial situation is much more important. We wrote an extensive article on just how much you should spend on a watch, which you can find here!
Which Cartier Watch Is The Most Popular?
The Cartier Tank and Santos De Cartier are the most popular Cartier watches. These are two Cartier classics, loved for their timelessness, looks, and ability to hold their value.
The Santos De Cartier is the classic square-shaped watch that most people associate with Cartier. The watch was initially created back in 1904. Louis Cartier designed the watch for his friend Alberto Santos-Dumont.
Alberto was a pilot, and he wanted a watch that allowed him to check the time without taking out his pocket watch. Some say that the Santos De Cartier was the first-ever pilot watch.
To this day, the Santos De Cartier is one of the most popular Cartier watches. Its iconic and sleek design is loved by many.
The classic square shape is also found in the Cartier Tank. Once again, a beautiful watch with the iconic Cartier design. Only this time, it’s slightly more rectangular.
