PARIS
13, RUE DE LA PAIX
PARIS
In 1899, Alfred Cartier moved to the prestigious address of 13 rue de la Paix at the very heart of Parisian elegance and luxury. It was Paris’s most expensive street, offering everything a lady needed in terms of shopping. Alfred, the son of the founder, entrusted his sons Louis, Pierre and Jacques with the management of the business.
The third generation would give Cartier an impulse that would carry the Maison through the century to the present day.
While Pierre and Jacques were conquering the world and establishing themselves in London and New York, Louis was directing the Parisian side of the business from which all the Cartier energy emanated and sparkled. Under his influence, the House of Cartier would achieve an international dimension. After years of research, Louis would introduce the use of platinum in jewelry making and take the neo-classical trend known as the garland style to its peak.
These dazzling creations in platinum and diamonds were an instant success, adopted by both the traditional hereditary aristocracy and the kings and queens of fashion. Cartier became the official supplier to several royal courts.
It was a success that had been announced by Edward VII when he was still Prince of Wales, who in the very early 20th century hailed Cartier as “king of jewellers, jeweller of kings”.
Louis Cartier was a man with an incredible business sense, and he paid great care and attention to luxury accessories and watches.
A true visionary, he was to understand the importance of the wristwatch, and as early as 1904 created a prototype for his friend the Brazilian aviator Santos-Dumont, thus inaugurating a new era in the art of watchmaking.
Throughout the 20th century all the seeds of jewelry-making modernity were being sown on rue de la Paix, from the Art Deco to the Panther style.
Today the boutique at 13 rue de la Paix is over 100 years old and its legend continues to grow.
