Cartier Pocket Watches

Founded in Paris in 1847, Cartier is the consummate French Jeweler – in fact, the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII) dubbed the maison, “Jeweler to kings, king of jewelers.”

In addition to iconic jewelry, tiaras for princesses and movie stars and a mini galaxy of world-famous watches, Cartier’s collections have also included wildly luxurious objects of desire, from pocket watches and powder compacts to writing instruments, cigarette cases and personal accessories.

In the grand landscape of collectible European pocket watches, many of the most covetable models come from Cartier. Distinguished by a dial punctuated with Roman numerals and a rail-track minute circle, these handsome designs often boasted LeCoultre movements. They were also wrought with the finest materials, exquisitely detailed with enamel, onyx and gemstones on par with the maison’s finest jewels.

Other collectible must-haves include the maison’s 70s-chic lighters, bordeaux leather goods, cuff links and toiletry items.

Quick Facts

• Cartier presented FDR with an onyx-and-nephrite clock when he deployed American troops to join the Allied forces abroad. The gift, now called the “Peace Clock,” was intended to assure the President that the hour of victory was close at hand
• Actress Vivien Leigh owned a Cartier powder compact made of gold and accented with cabochon rubies
• Wallis Simpson and The Duke of Windsor exchanged many Cartier baubles throughout their relationship. Among them was a pair of platinum cuff links detailed with their first initials—an “E” and a “W”—done in pavé and baguette diamonds