Must de Cartier

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In this article, we will introduce Cartier's wristwatches, "The Beginning of Quartz Watches," and introduce five recommended models.

When you look at Cartier watches, you will find many lovely pieces.

And I think quartz watches are the easiest for women to use.

This is because it's a hassle to turn the crown, you don't have time to do it before going out, and if you have your nails done, just thinking about turning the crown makes you not want to wear a watch.

No, no, there are also hand-wound and automatic watches in high-end models. Some people may think that, but this video is an introductory video for people who are interested in Cartier watches, so please consider it a beginner's video.

Of course, I'm sure men are watching this video as well, but I think that if they gain some knowledge from it as trivia on how to buy gifts for women, it will be useful somewhere along the line.

Today, I will be introducing a brief history of quartz, the relationship between Cartier and quartz watches, and introducing five wonderful recommended models, so if you've been interested in Cartier watches, be sure to read to the end.

The table of contents is included in the description, so please take a look there if there is anything you are interested in.

So let's get started right away.

The History of Quartz Watches

First of all, what is a quartz watch?

What are its characteristics?

I will explain it in an easy-to-understand manner by looking at the historical background in which it emerged and Cartier.

In the 1970s, our Japanese company, Seiko, achieved a groundbreaking innovation by powering watches with quartz crystal.

This demonstrated to the world the most advanced technology available, allowing movements (the internal mechanisms that power the watch) to be made inexpensively while still ensuring perfect accuracy.

This led to the widespread adoption of quartz movements worldwide, and of course Cartier also began to adopt them.

When you think of watches, Switzerland comes to mind, but what makes Swiss watch brands different is that Swiss watches have the image of being based around specialized watches.

Therefore, the movement within it is also important.

To put it simply, and it might be hard for women to imagine, the value of a wristwatch includes the movement inside it.

That's why Swiss watch brands place value not only on their appearance, but also on their internal mechanisms, which is why Swiss watches are said to be highly precise.

The image is that the gears and parts are carefully made one by one by craftsmen, and then combined to create a single object.

However, the Cartier brand is fundamentally a jewelry brand.

When looking at a watch, the internal mechanism is of course important, but the appearance tends to take up a larger proportion of the evaluation.

That's why Swiss watch brands have not been able to proactively adopt quartz movements.

As explained earlier, they also place value on the movement, so if they use a cheap movement, it would lower the value of the brand.

Now let's take a look at how Cartier watches have fared.

Cartier Quartz Watch

In the late 1970s, Cartier released watches that were affordable and maintained their brand image while still retaining the traditional mechanical hand-wound wristwatch style.

That is the "Must de Cartier" collection.

As the name suggests, this is a watch that "everyone should have."

This collection inherited Cartier's sophisticated designs, but by using new materials it was possible to produce them cheaply, allowing people to feel the charm of Cartier.

 

For example, up until then, Cartier watches had cases made out of solid gold (made entirely of gold) or platinum.

However, this Must Do collection has succeeded in keeping the price down by using sterling silver as the base for the case and then plating it with 18k gold, and by using the quartz movement explained earlier.

In addition, this plating method involves a special coating technique called "vermeil."

The difference from ordinary plating is that standards require that gold be coated on 925 silver to a thickness of 1.5 microns or more.

To put it simply, it is applied thicker than a regular coating.

This must-have collection was priced at $500 at the time, or 50,000 yen in Japanese yen.

These collections were a huge hit around the world, and Cartier watch sales, which had previously been around 3,000 units per year, topped the 160,000 unit mark by the end of the 1970s.

This was the first time that Cartier had mass-produced a watch on such a large scale.

It could be said that adopting a quartz movement was a brilliant move that only Cartier, which originated as a jewelry brand, could have made.

Now, I would like to introduce some models that use quartz movements that Cartier produced in the 1970s and 1980s.

1. Must de Cartier Tank

Paying homage to the original Tank Louis Cartier, the Must de Cartier Tank was released with a variety of dial options, including dark blue, red, black, and even striped three-tone gold.

Since then, countless Must de Cartier watches have been released, featuring a variety of men's and women's watches with different sizes, shapes, dial colors and finishes.

In the 1980s, French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent was photographed wearing a Must de Cartier Tank in 1983, making the watch an essential part of the fashion world.

This model was an extremely long-running hit, and in the 1990s various dial variations were created and it continued to be sold into the 2000s.

It was such an incredibly popular watch that it is still popular today and is counted among Cartier's timeless masterpieces.

2. Must de Vendome

One evening in the 1920s, Louis Cartier noticed the shape of a carriage hitch and was inspired to create a new wristwatch, which is why he designed this watch.

Place Vendôme, the epitome of Parisian elegance, is home to Cartier's flagship store.

Cartier's Vendôme model was designed to offer a quality that could be catered to customers from all over the world visiting Paris, and so the Vendôme Louis Cartier was born in 1930.

And the current Must de Vendome is a derivative of that.

The dial pattern and coloring are almost the same as the Mast Tank introduced earlier, with the only difference being that it is smaller and rounder.

What is attractive about this watch is that the strap is connected to the circle on the dial with a single gold attachment, reminiscent of a carriage hitch.

If you know the story behind the model's creation, you will surely love this watch even more.

3. Must de Colisee

There was a very large amphitheater in ancient Rome, and the model name "Colisee" was taken from it.

The thick case, reminiscent of a stadium, is plated with 18k gold, giving it a very glamorous impression.

Looking at the lugs, we can see that they feature a three-dimensional double-line lug design that is different from that of ordinary watches, and in keeping with Cartier's style, they blend naturally with the strap and give the watch a cohesive, classic look.

It looks great on your wrist as a focal point, or you can wear it together with a love bracelet adorned with diamonds, and I think it goes perfectly with it.

4. Must Do Trinity

Originally, the Trinity Ring was more commonly known as a ring, but there are three rings:

Yellow gold is "loyal"

White gold represents friendship

Pink gold represents "love"

It contains a profound message.

It is said that this triple ring was designed by the company's founder Louis Cartier at the request of his friend and artist, Jean Cocteau.

The "Trinity" watch incorporated this beautiful design, and was released in 1997, later than the other two.

Although it is not a must-have series, Trinity is characterized by its wide lineup of exterior case variations.

There were many patterns available to suit any occasion, from a standard 18-karat gold-plated model, to a model using three colors like the Trinity ring, to a luxury model adorned with diamonds.

In addition, all of the watches come in a unified 27mm case, neither too large nor too small, which shines beautifully on a woman's wrist and adds a special touch.

Among the many models available, the Must Trinity allows you to enjoy Cartier more easily, and although it is no longer in production, it is still a highly sought-after and excellent watch.

5. Must de Ronde

The word "ronde" means "round" in French.

The prototype model, "Ronde Louis Cartier," was released in 1937, with the "Louis" coming from Louis Cartier, the name that made Cartier world famous.

There is a square model called the Tank Louis Cartier, and it is safe to assume that anything with Louis attached is a top-quality product.

In short, the top of the line square model is the Tank Louis Cartier and the top of the line round model is the Ronde Louis Cartier.

The Mast de Ronde is a derivative model that was released in the 1990s.

One of its features is that, unlike other models, the sapphire on the crown and the bezel are also flat, giving it a crisp impression.

Among the must-have collections introduced above, the Rondo was produced in small numbers and is now a rare model.

The prices of all the models introduced here vary greatly depending on the model and the design within it, but the cheaper ones can be purchased for around 200,000 to 400,000 yen, so they are recommended for anyone looking for a classic yet beautiful watch.

summary

To sum up, the models Cartier made from the 1970s to 1990s are attractive, and even those of us living in the modern age can appreciate their beauty.

After all, beautiful things have timeless beauty no matter how much time passes.

As a man, I can understand that the mechanical beauty of a hand-wound movement is one of its attractions, but for women who are looking for functionality, I would recommend that you first choose a quartz watch if you want to appreciate the appeal of a brand.