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

The story of the legendary brand is described in dozens of books. However, none of them, no matter how magnificently they are presented, can compare to the work of a family member. Francesca Cartier Brickell, whose great-grandfather was the youngest of the founding brothers of the jewelry House, spent over ten years traveling the world in search of the true and until now unknown history of Cartier.

This book is an incredibly captivating account of the family that created the Cartier empire, and the three brothers who turned their grandfather's modest Parisian jewelry shop into a global luxury empire. Their motto was: "Never copy, only create," and each had his own talent: Louis was the visionary designer who created the first men's wristwatch to help a friend, an aviator, tell time without taking his hands off the controls; Pierre was the dealmaker who purchased the New York headquarters on Fifth Avenue for a natural pearl necklace; and Jacques was the gem expert whose trips to India opened Cartier's access to the world's finest rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, inspiring the creation of the jewelry that has become famous worldwide.

“Cartier” is ten years of research, archival photos, personal letters, and testimonies from those who once worked with or knew the family and the brand.