Louis-Francois Cartier / "Cartier"

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Is not present, probably, on the earth of the person which would not know that S.Mark's these gracefully bound letters of the world famous firm which have celebrated recently the sesquicentennial anniversary mean, it is perceived at all as the quality symbol, and as certain magic letters. Cartier - the legislator of a world fashion, the higher arbitrator of graceful taste. Cartier is a revolution in design, a special direction in jeweller art.

All has begun in 1819 when in a family of the modest owner of the workshop which was letting out small horns for gunpowder, the boy - Lui-Fransua Cartier was born. The child has early enough shown abilities to the fine arts, and the father has given it in pupils to Parisian jeweller Adolf Pikaru. Mum Lui-Fransua was against. She considered, that gunpowder more reliable from the point of view of marketing a thing, than gold. Gunpowder is necessary always and everything, and gold - only to kings, and that in the limited quantity. In 1847 young artist Cartier has redeemed a workshop at the teacher and has decided to work only under private orders. Affairs went in such a manner that in six years Lui-Fransua has opened in Paris a new workshop in the street Nev-de-Peti-Shan, nearby to the Stock exchange and the Pale-grand piano …

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In France there were many good jewellers, but Lui-Fransua Cartier the happy star has dropped out. Has not passed also two weeks after shop opening as the graceful, strongly powdered and well smelling lady there has glanced. It long considered gold trifles, went into eyes, sighed - and at last has bought three brooches. It was success! He only has then learnt, that the lady was countess Neverkerk, the spouse of the superquartermaster on fine arts at Napoleon's court yard III and the closest friend of princess Matildy, niece Napoleon Bonaparte, and on the husband of princess Demidovoj.

For three years countess Neverkerk, princess Demidov and more their one friend - empress Evgenie, spouse Napoleon III, - have got at Lui-Fransua Cartier in total about hundred fifty products and were quite happy this circumstance. They recommended the jeweller opened by them to all friends and acquaintances. And they were not afraid to see same, as at themselves, a brooch on a breast at the girlfriend or the competitor: Lui-Fransua Cartier did not bungle. It created, and it did not repeat. Cartier's glory (and a status) grew, by leaps and bounds.

It was the deserved and natural turn - Lui-Fransua was the present artist. It experimented, searched for new forms, combining the most ancient traditions of jeweller art with trends of a modern fashion. Diamond butterflies zaporhali in hair of the important ladies, mysterious scarabs have begun to shine on collars of grandees, scorpions have decorated with themselves satiny toilets are till that time it was unprecedented, anybody and could not assume earlier, that animals and insects can be so are graceful, that will be admitted in the high society. Yes-yes, to Lui-Fransua Cartier to use animals and insects in jeweller business was movetonom, unequivocally. But he has seen: it can be beautiful. And it has made it beautifully. After it have seen this all.

Lui-Fransua Cartier (the first all over the world!) began to use platinum, and to it all were content with gold and silver. And after all platinum is stronger some other metals and is capable to sustain bolshee quantity of jewels. And the more jewels, the it volnitelnej, that above rises a breast of their happy owner and that this breast zhelannej. Simple law, but it has opened it, and its princesses, the duchess and the empress considered guilty of the success at an opposite sex. Of what still he could dream?

Together with Lui-Fransua his son, Alfred worked. In 1898 it opens salon-workshop in the well-known Parisian street de la Pe to which all smartest shops of the French capital are concentrated. At Alfreda sons too grew up. The senior, the most talented, Lui-Zhozefa or it is simple Lui - yes so its all and called - the father takes in family business as the partner. Lui then was only twenty three years. And it has not brought the father, having lifted reputation of firm on higher level. The special glamour, special aura of products from Cartier is in many respects merit Lui. Lui did not like the modernist style which has become on a boundary of centuries almost general. He offered the clients the ornaments stylised under «a century osmnadtsatyj», and has managed to break a whimsical fashion. Firm products, especially in style «Guirlande» (when brilliants are grouped so, that fastenings practically is not visible) used enormous demand.

Cartiers were always attentive to another's experience, were able to study at others. It is known, for example, that mastered art of enamel of Lui Cartier on the well-known Charles Faberge's jobs. Cartiers and Faberge to a certain extent were contenders. In 1907 Cartier suited the exhibition in St.-Petersburg and though a boutique-workshop in Russia and has not opened, the French jeweller has received the official order from Nikolay II and became the official supplier of an imperial court yard.

In 1908 the New York branch of a company opens. Its Pierre Cartier, the most younger representative of the third generation of a nice dynasty has headed. And in 1910 Cartier's trade mark - that well-known monogram from bound is registered "With". Ability and desire to indulge refined whims of the most refined ladies of the world have not prevented creation by firm of the first sample of a watch for pilots (it has occurred in 1906). In 1910 Cartier has turned the world of hour forms. Then there were first hours per the rectangular case. A little bit later among models Cartier there were hours which showed time in London, Paris and New York - in those cities where there were headquarters Cartier. And later, in 1919, working out of the first base model of a thin watch under the name "Tank" (in memory of the American tank case which were at war in France during first world). Already with confidence it is possible to say, that "Tanks" have passed test by time - them carried Dzhekki Onassis, Elton John continues to carry and if to believe publications in fashionable magazines, at Truman Kapote was such six (!) hours.

Strategy of firm and its style gradually vary. The First World War, then great depression of 1929 and the Second World War have radically changed a society. Aristocracy businessmen who involve things expensive, prestigious, but thus supersede the convenient. "Cartier's" production becomes more functional. Pens, hours, the lighters made of expensive materials, are issued in bulk selling (though the concept of "mass character" is generally not so applicable to "Cartier's" production).

In 1945 Pierre Cartier becomes the president of firm which is called now «Cartier International». In 50th years models of hours of the oval form «Baignoires» are developed (for the first time such form has been offered in 1912ã.) the next decades firm "Cartier" has published many perfect models of hours: «Reverso», «Ceintures», «Crash Watches».

In 1960th years the firm already ceases to be purely family. In 1972 Alain-Dominik Perren, one of heads of firm, excellent reconstructs distribjutorskuju a policy and creates the new direction which has received the name «Must». Products from "Cartier", for an exception of jeweller ornaments, henceforth are on sale not only in firm salons, but also in special departments of expensive shops. New production - bags is developed, belts, scarfs etc. It has allowed to expand considerably clientele, and shortly the income has reached thirds of aggregate profit of firm.

In 1979 "Cartier's" affiliated firms unite in uniform concern «Cartier World». In 1981 "Cartier" begins approach to the perfumery market and lets out spirits «Must», then in 1987 - «Pantere», in 1995 - «So Pretty». But, certainly, Cartier remains «the king of jewellers».

In 1982 there is a new style from "Cartier" - «Nouvelle Joallerie», that is «new jeweller art». In a basis - all the same stylised, refined classics, a skilful combination of traditional classical forms and modern design, but without scandalous geometrichnosti and "modernovosti".

In 1993 Cartier has entered into concern Richemond - in the lead group of the companies which are engaged in manufacture of the goods of luxury. It is necessary to tell, that now Cartier is not one company, at all three branches. Cartier unites 14 companies, each of which is responsible for manufacture of the separate goods - hours, jewels, accessories. Them unites not only a name - everything, that is issued under stamp Cartier, carries on itself the press of luxury, a special crape of riches and power. Beauty of the products cannot resist and the firm - now it systematically redeems the masterpieces symbolising this or that stage of the development.