Cartier. The Unknown Story of the Family that Created a Luxury Empire

Francesca Cartier Brickell is a direct descendant of Cartier. Her great-great-grandfather founded the Cartier company in 1847, and her late grandfather, Jean-Jacques Cartier, was the last family representative to manage and own a branch of the legendary jewelry house. After leaving a career in finance, Francesca dedicated 10 years of her life to independent research on the history of the dynasty. “I looked for people all over the world — those who worked for my family, clients, gemstone traders. I visited the very sapphire mines in India, met with the descendants of maharajas, traveled to Paris, and got to know the children of jewelers. I tried to gather the memories of people from various walks of life from London, Paris, New York, India, and Russia and reflect them in the book to create a complete picture.” “Cartier” is an incredibly captivating tale of three brothers who turned their grandfather's modest Parisian jewelry store into a global luxury empire. The author invites readers behind the scenes of the house's establishment and introduces them to the most iconic jewels of the firm — the cursed Hope diamond, the Romanov emeralds, classical panther-shaped jewelry — and a long line of stars from the world of fashion, cinema, and the royal family who wore them. Francesca Cartier Brickell reveals previously unknown dramas, intrigues, romances, and betrayals, based on personal letters from family members and testimonies from close associates. “A story that will impress even those who are far from the art of jewelry.” — The New York Times