You are currently browsing the archives for 23 April 2009

The most luxury material

  • Posted on April 23, 2009 at 8:29 pm

In the early days, gold was just yellow. But today when you see yellow gold, it is mostly for rings and pendants that are either old, or for flashy designs. The metal of choice for engagement rings and wedding rings alike has become white gold. But then, there is one small tragedy which comes in when you wear white gold. It bears an uncanny resemblance to sterling silver! So, if you are the kind to show off, wearing a ring that resembles silver does not augment well! With modern technology, it is also possible to create gold in a few other colors, but that is stuff for another article!

Going back in time, the name Platinum is derived from Spanish – from the phrase ‘Platina del Pinto’, which can be translated as ‘little silver of the Pinto river’. That is where the metal was first found, and hence the name stuck. Platinum started becoming very popular in the 18th century, when King Louis XV of France declared it to be the only metal fit for a king’s jewelry, as it was so rare!

Platinum a magnificent silvery-white when pure metal, holds the leading position in list of noble metals, along with silver, gold, and bronze. Platinum is a rare metal with unique level of features and qualities that add more reasons for this already precious metal to be a rarer and exclusive metal, ideal for making high quality special jewellery products.

Platinum styles

  • Posted on April 23, 2009 at 8:26 pm

Platinum, as we are aware, is one of the rarest metals to be found in the earth, and is valued to be much higher than even gold – which is considered to be the standard of valuation all over the world.

History of Platinum

Naturally-occurring platinum and platinum-rich alloys have been known for a long time. Though the metal was used by pre-Columbian Native Americans, the first European reference to platinum appears in 1557 in the writings of notable Italian humanist Julius Caesar Scaliger as a description of a mysterious metal found in Central American mines between Panama and Mexico. The word platinum comes from the Spanish word platina, meaning “little silver.”

South Africa has maximum reserves of Platinum producing almost 80% of world’s total Platinum. Russia and Canada are other leading producers of Platinum. Platinum is an extremely rare metal around 30 times more rarer than Gold.

What about the after-WW2’s Cartier

  • Posted on April 23, 2009 at 11:45 am

As known to us all, the World War 2 ended in 1945, and during the war, nearly every company have been strucked by this storm, but what about the Cartier SA?

After the death of Pierre in 1964, Jean-Jacques Cartier (Jacques’s son), Claude Cartier (Louis’s son), and Marionne Claudelle (Pierre’s daughter) — who respectively headed the Cartier affiliates in London, New York and Paris — sold the businesses.

 

In 1972 a group of investors led by Joseph Kanoui bought Cartier Paris. President Robert Hocq, the creator of the concept of “Les Must de Cartier” (a staff member is said to have said “Cartier, It’s a must!”[1] meaning something one simply must have) in collaboration with Alain Dominique Perrin, General Director, began introducing new products representative of the status and quality of the Cartier of the past. In 1974 and 1976 respectively, Cartier London and Cartier New York were bought back. In 1979 the Cartier interests were combined together, creating “Cartier Monde” uniting and controlling Cartier Paris, London and New York.

The Cartier’s development

  • Posted on April 23, 2009 at 11:43 am

In the early 1920s, Cartier SA formed a joint company with Edward Jaeger to produce movements solely for Cartier.

Thus was the European watch & clock company born, although Cartier continued to use movements from other great makers. Cartier watches can be found with movements from Vacheron Constantin, Audemars-Piguet, Movado and LeCoultre. It was also during this period that Cartier began adding its own reference numbers to the watches it sold, usually by stamping a four-digit code on the underside of a lug. In fact, many collectors refuse to accept a Cartier as original, unless these numbers are present.[citation needed]

 

Jacques took charge of the London operation and eventually moved to the current address at New Bond Street.

 

 

Cartier’s New York landmark location on 5th Avenue

Elevation of Cartier’s, New YorkPierre Cartier established the New York City branch in 1909, moving in 1917 to the current location of 653 Fifth Avenue, the Neo-Renaissance mansion of Morton Freeman Plant (son of railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant) and designed by architect C.P.H. Gilbert. Cartier acquired the mansion from the Plants in exchange for $100 in cash and a double-stranded natural pearl necklace valued at the time at $1 million.[4]

 

Among the Cartier team was Charles Jacqueau, who joined Louis Cartier in 1909 for his entire life, and Jeanne Toussaint, who was Director of Fine Jewelry from 1933 on.

 

 

 

The history of Cartier

  • Posted on April 23, 2009 at 11:39 am

Cartier was founded in Paris in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier .At that time he took over the workshop of his master. In 1874, his son Alfred Cartier took over the administration of the company, but it was Alfred’s sons Louis, Pierre and Jacques, who were responsible for establishing the world-wide brand name of Cartier.

 

In 1904, the Brazilian aviator, Alberto Santos-Dumont complained of the unreliability and impracticality of using pocket watches while flying to his friend Louis Cartier. Cartier rose to the challenge, designing a flat wristwatch with a distinctive square bezel. This watch was not only a hit with Santos-Dumont, but also with Cartier’s many clients. Thus, out of this timeless design, the “Santos” was born. This was the first men’s wristwatch (Patek Phillipe made the first wristwatch, but for a woman and as a one-off).

 

Louis retained responsibility for the Paris branch, moving to the Rue de la Paix, in 1899. He was responsible for some of the company’s most celebrated designs, like the mystery clocks(a type of clock with a transparent dial and so named because their works are hidden), fashionable wristwatches and exotic orientalist Art Deco designs, including the colorful “Tutti Frutti” jewels.

 

In 1907, Cartier signed a contract with Edmond Jaeger, who agreed to exclusively supply the movements for Cartier watches. By this time, Cartier had branches in London, New York and St. Petersburg and was quickly becoming one of the most successful watch companies in the world. The introduction of the Baignoire and Tortue models (both of which are still in production today) took place in 1912, followed by the Tank model’s debut in 1917. In 1932, they manufactured a watertight watch made especially for the Pasha of Marrakesh.

 

In 1917, inspired by the newly introduced war machines on the Western Front, Louis Cartier designed the most notable Cartier watch, the Cartier Tank watch. This line too has survived, with over thirty varieties now being made.

What is Cartier?

  • Posted on April 23, 2009 at 11:36 am

Cartiers is a French jeweller and watch manufacturer. It is a subsidiary of Compagnie Financière Richemont SA. The corporation carries the name of the Cartier family of jewelers whose control ended in 1964 and who were known for numerous pieces including the “Bestiary” (best illustrated by the Panthère brooch of the 1940s created for Wallis Simpson), the diamond necklace created for Yadavindra Singh the Maharaja of Patiala and in 1904 the first practical wristwatch, the “Santos.” Cartier SA is headquartered in Paris.

 

The company has a long and distinguished history of serving royalty, as well as stars and celebities. One Prince of Wales hailed Cartier as “Joaillier des Rois, Roi des Joailliers” (Jeweller to Kings, King of Jewellers”). Cartier received an order for 27 tiaras for the coronation of the future King. King Edward VII was crowned in 1902 and in 1904 he honoured the Company with the Royal warrant of supplier to the Royal Court of England. Similar warrants soon followed from the courts of Spain, Portugal, Russia, Siam, Greece, Serbia, Belgium, Romania, Egypt and finally Albania, and also from the House of Orleans and the Principality of Monaco.