New and Preowned Cartier Watches

Cartier Watches: French Touch to Swiss Watchmaking

Founded in Paris in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier, the house of Cartier was established as a jewelry brand before expanding into watchmaking. Regarded as "The Jeweler of Kings and the King of Jewelers," three generations of The Cartier family have grown the brand outside Europe to a global scale. The brand has long served royalty and aristocracy throughout Europe and brought the same elite approach to watchmaking, blurring the difference between fine jewelry and precision instruments.

In 1904, Louis Cartier created the Santos watch for his friend, Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont. This marked a milestone in Cartier's journey to offer purpose-designed men's wristwatches at a time when pocketwatches were still the norm. The brand continued to pioneer distinctive watch designs throughout the 20th century, including the rectangular Tank (1917), the asymmetrical Crash (1967), and the curved Tonneau.

Cartier Watch Collections

Cartier watches differ from their counterparts because they prioritize aesthetic harmony and elegance over technical complications. From the signature blue sword-shaped hands and sapphire cabochon crown embellishments to instantly recognizable shapes, each watch has a timeless elegance.

Santos Collection

The Santos collection was pivotal in establishing Cartier as a luxury watchmaker. The original Santons is the world's first purpose-designed wristwatch. The collection has a distinctive square case with rounded corners, making it instantly recognizable. A Cartier Santos watch has exposed screws on the bezel inspired by the aesthetic of the Eiffel Tower construction. Integrated bracelet design, sword-shaped blue steel or rhodium-finished hands, and the innovative QuickSwitch and SmartLink systems for easy strap changes are defining features of this collection. The modern Santos de Cartier (Ref. WSSA0018), released in 2018, and the more dress-oriented Santos Dumont (Ref. WSSA0022) are popular references to the Santos collection.

Tank Collection

The Tank is a milestone in Cartier's legacy. Its rectangular design has remained relevant and desirable even today, over a century since its introduction in 1917. Counted among the most popular Cartier timepieces, Louis Cartier created Tank from inspiration from the aerial view of Renault FT-17 tanks, with the case representing the Tank's body and the brancards (sidebars) evoking the treads.

A rectangular case with clean architectural lines defines a Tank watch. It has unique "brancards" with the Roman numeral dial, sword-shaped hands in blue steel or rhodium finish, and case proportions that follow the golden ratio. Since its inception, the Tank collection has evolved into several sub-families. The Tank Louis Cartier (Ref. W1529756) is the most classical interpretation of the original design, while The Tank Française (Ref. W51008Q3), introduced in 1996, uses a contemporary design to convert chain-link bracelet into a more seamless metal design.

Ballon Bleu Collection

The Ballon Bleu became one of the most successful collections for Cartier watches soon after their introduction in 2007. The Ballon Bleu is the title describing the distinctive blue sapphire cabochon crown set within a crown guard depression, creating a "bubble" in the otherwise round case. Guilloché silvered dial, fluted winding crown, and multiple complications options are some of the features available in this collection. The standard Ballon Bleu de Cartier (Ref. W69012Z4) in 36mm stainless steel is the most popular model available for both men and women. The Ballon Bleu Chronograph (Ref. W6920076) offers a stopwatch function through subdials seamlessly integrated into the overall aesthetic.

Drive Collection

The most recent addition to the Cartier watches is the Drive de Cartier collection, which was introduced in 2016. A distinctly masculine cushion-shaped model, this watch is inspired by automotive design principles.  Cartier created the Drive collection to flaunt their ability to create new case shapes consistent with the brand's heritage.

The cushion-shaped case, Guilloché dial with sword-shaped hands in blue steel, Sapphire cabochon crown, and Cartier's in-house automatic movements define this collection. You can explore the entry-level Drive de Cartier (Ref. WSNM0009) stainless steel model and move up to the Drive Extra-Flat (Ref. WGNM0011) offered in gold.

Cartier Watch Price Guide

Unlike its jewelry selection, Cartier offers a wide price spectrum for the luxury watch segment. Cartier wristwatch prices start from around $3,300 at retail to high-end complicated pieces, going as high as $50,000. The price of these watches is affected by several factors, including the collection, case materials, movement type, complications, and edition.

Entry-level Cartier Tank models like the quartz-powered Tank Must and Tank Solo start at $3,300. Any mid-range Cartier timepiece will cost between $5,000 and $15,000, including models like automatic models from the Santos, Tank, and Ballon Bleu collections. High-end Cartier watches, such as gold models, complicated pieces, and limited editions, usually range from $15,000 to well over $50,000.

For investment, you can consider Cartier collections that have demonstrated stronger value retention, like the Vintage Tank models, particularly the Cintrée and Louis Cartier in precious metals. The value of these watches has appreciated significantly in recent years.

Master Luxury Collection

Master Luxury features a carefully collected section of Cartier watches. We have a curated collection of Cartier timepieces that include both current and discontinued models across the brand's diverse collections. From the iconic Tank to the elegant Ballon Bleu, our experts curate the finest preowned Cartier watches for you.

Every Cartier watch in our collection undergoes rigorous authentication and condition assessment to ensure authenticity and value for money proposition. For those seeking a preowned Cartier watch with original box and paper, Master Luxury has the options. In our collection, you will find sought-after watches ranging from vintage Tank models to limited edition Santos and Crash variations.

New offers on Cartier watches for sale are available on Master Luxury. We strive to make your purchase journey transparent with guidance, flexible financing options, international shipping, and exceptional after-sales support.