Cartier has just released two new models for its new "Les Must" collection of watches and other luxury goods. This is not the first time the name has been used for a Cartier line, but these products are new - at least that is what Cartier tells us (as the watches look so similar to what has been in the past and present for Cartier). Cartier was never one for mainstreaming complex designs and these two Les Must Tank Solo and Ronde Solo watches pretty much epitomize the elegant simplicity of Cartier. Further still, the watches appear to be simplified versions of Cartier's other Tank and Ronde watches.

Both models have male and female sized versions. I pictured only the male versions because the female versions are almost identical, just a bit smaller. All of the watches have Swiss quartz movements, that most Cartier buyers are OK with. Serious watch lovers tend to prefer mechanical watches, but the perception is that Cartier watch buyers are interested first in the name, second in the look, and third in telling the time. To remove any obviousness of the movements being quartz, Cartier removed the seconds hand so as to prevent the sight of a ticking hand. The cases are in steel and elegantly shaped, though intentionally simplified. This also goes with the steel bracelets.

Aside from that the details are all rank-and-file Cartier. Blue cabochon in the crown, Roman numeral dial, blued sword hands, and the silvered Opaline dial. My feeling is that the collection is meant to be a lower cost selection in response to far lower luxury spending these days. It is wise for Cartier to give its fans something more along the lines of what spending habits have been, to keep them interested in the brand. In a few years we will see higher priced new models once again.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

OPTYX by gruen, the newest expansion of grueneyes offering a high-end, carefully curated collection of designer eyewear, scored a hit with selections for its Hamptons locations this summer. Each season, OPTYX by gruen sends a team to travel from New York to Paris, Milan and Tokyo to seek out the latest fashion trends in sunglasses. For the Hamptons this summer, where OPTYX by gruen is one of the sponsors of the Mercedes-Benz Polo Challenge, they selected several key styles for the area's jetset including a timeless, oversized frame from Chanel's Collection Perle calling to mind Jackie O; Oliver Peoples' Harlot Storm frames, bringing together an iconic silhouette with a bold, modern print; and the Cartier Santos Sport Platinum for men, a classic aviator shape with leather and wood detailing. Steven Spielberg scoped out the Hamptons offerings recently, joining the ranks of the boutique's other celeb clientele incouding Martin Scorsese, Kate Moss, Lauren Hutton, Dustin Hoffman, Madonna, Alec Baldwin, and Elton John at their locations in New York City and Greenwich, CT.

Earlier this week during his appearance at the Cartier Polo matches in Windsor Great Park near London with Prince Charles, Cartier's U.K. Managing Director Arnaud Bamberger spoke on the challenges facing the company. Cartier, which is part of the Richemont group, is preparing for the slowdown in the watch and jewelry market to go on for a while longer. Bloomberg quotes Bamberger as saying that he is not sure that the worst is over. He said that the company is doing its best to take actions to protect both the long-term health of the brand and the employees. Some employees in the Swiss watch plant have been moved to part-time work over the summer. Bamberger said that Cartier is in better shape than many companies partly because of the brand's growth in China. As we saw from the recent LVMH numbers, jewelery has become a highly vulnerable area in this economy.

The Cartier store in Cannes, France has been the latest victim of the "Pink Panthers" gang. A group of armed robbers in Hawaiian shirts converged on the store in the French Riviera on Monday. The ringleader pulled out a handgun and directed everyone to lie on the floor. His accomplices made quick work of the jewels, watches and other luxury goods in the store and then the entire team took off on motorbikes.

The Pink Panthers earned their nickname in 1993 by stealing a huge diamond from jewelers in London's Mayfair area and hiding it in a jar of face cream similar to the method used in the original Peter Sellers movie. It is believed that members of the gang are former soldiers from eastern Europe. They are known for their feats of daring which are almost cinematic in nature. In 2005 they struck at a jeweler in Saint Tropez and made their getaway by boat. The gang is thought to be a loose network of maybe 200 or so people which has made attempts at capture difficult for law enforcement.

Cartier jumps on the DLC (diamond-like carbon coating) bandwagon, but with something a bit different. They use something called ADLC for this new Santos 100 Carbon Chronograph watch model. ADLC is apparently a superior form of DLC which is known as "amorphous diamond-like carbon" coating. According to Cartier, ADLC is thicker, less prone to finger prints, and overall more "Cartier." No, I just made that last one up, but it is something I can almost hear them saying. At this point I don't know enough about ADLC to comment so I would consider the improvement over normal DLC to be less than substantial, otherwise everyone would be using it. Aside from the use of ADLC coated steel, the fabric strap takes this formal watch to a new sporty level - and the 18k rose gold bezel and other accents looks great against the black on the classic looking Santos design.

The Cartier Santos 100 Carbon Chronograph uses the Cartier automatic 8630 movement that is laid out with unique widely placed subdials - something you don't see very often. I like how the hands are relatively bold for a Cartier timepiece, as it is almost strange not seeing them in blued steel. It appears that Cartier retained the crown cabochon crystal - with maybe an onyx as opposed to a sapphire on this watch. Overall the style is a real hybrid between functional sport watches and the formal good looks that Cartier is so well known for. An interesting watch with 100 meters of water resistance that will appeal to enough people I am sure. Price will retail at 22,700 euros.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Proving once again that luxury brands have no sense of humor, Cartier sued Apple over an iPhone app that displayed obvious fake watches including a version that looked like Cartier's popular Tank design. The "Fake Watch" and "Fake Watch Gold Edition" apps allowed users to show the time on " look-alike famous wristwatches" on Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch. The obvious fakes used names like "Relax" for Rolex and "Carpark" for Cartier. "Fake Watch" was a free download and "Fake Watch Gold Edition" sold for 99 cents in Apple's iTunes store. No word on if Cartier sued the maker of the app, Digitopolis Game Studio.

But almost as soon as the fracas began, it was over. The Wall Street Journal reports that Cartier is withdrawing the suit that it filed earlier in the same day after the apps were removed from iTunes.

Also included in the June 11th Antiquorum watch auction is this Cartier Pasha watch model that was a gift from Rat Packer Frank Sinatra to other fellow Rat Packer Sammy Davis Jr. The watch auction comes with news photos of Davis Jr. wearing the watch, while the rear of the watch still bears the engraving by Sinatra that reads, "Sammy, I Luv Ya, F.A.S." A highly collectible item for Cartier fans and Rat Pack devotees alike.

The 18k gold Pasha watch is printed with its manufacture date of 1987, and bears a quartz movement, being the "in" thing of the time. Today this would lead you to believe that Sinatra might have been miserly with his gift, but this was not the case in the late 80's when quartz movement based watches were much more popular than mechanical ones. The watch complications include the time, date with day, moon phase, and second time zone. The watch is very rare, and is estimated to go for a likely lower than actual auction price of $10,000 - $20,000.

Ariel Adams publishes the popular watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

By the sound of it you'd think that Cartier was next to being bankrupt, though that isn't the case. More like the optimistic balloon of sales growth is deflating (one of the reasons I used the "Ballon Bleu" watch for the image - and added the sad face). During the last few years of rapid growth and increased demand for Swiss watches and luxury goods, production increased and luxury firms like Cartier staffed themselves accordingly for what looking like prefect blue skies ahead. Now, about 5 years after that all started, the bubble has burst, and Cartier is being forced to let go of many of those people it hired at its production facility in La Chaux-de-Fonds to help supply the perceived demand for luxury watches. Note that this is one of three Cartier production sites.

While Cartier's market success is not exactly a bellwether of the luxury industry, it is a pretty good indicator of current trends. Lots of companies are reducing their work forces, but the reality is that they are just getting closer to the way things where before the economy inflated itself so much. Now in survival or recession mode, luxury brands such as Cartier need to save cash while planning on better times ahead - instead of focusing on making lots of watches right now. Recall again that this cut at Cartier of about 400-500 people (or roughly 50%-60% of their work force) is in the production area, not necessarily at other areas of the Richemont Group owned company including administration, marketing, and sales. Many retained employees will received roughly 94% of their pay until things get better. Then then Ballon Bleu watch above can turn that frown... upside down!

Via WorldTempus here & here (in French).

Ariel Adams publishes the popular watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

The the most stalwart of luxury companies have taken a big hit from our current economic realities. While not suffering proportionally more than anyone else, Cartier is seeking new ways to grow and thrive in extremely unpredictable times. According to Cartier CEO and President Bernard Fornas, the new strategy is the expansion of boutique stores in areas showing promise or high growth in recent trends. While Cartier's statement that "we are the number one luxury brand in China, the Middle East, and Russia," may be speculative opinion only, it is true that Cartier has always been a symbol for a "luxury brand," whose performance can almost be market determinative.

Due to the fact that less people globally can afford Cartier products, or that less people are willing to incur the expense, the new strategy (among all luxury brands really) is to focus on core markets that include a large volume of "high-net-worth individuals." The concept is simple; do exactly what you are currently doing, but put your efforts into areas with a proven (and ongoing) hunger for luxury goods.

China will see more than 30 new Cartier boutiques open over the next year, while plans further include stores in Macau, Dubai (that I am sure is getting to the point of over-saturation), Qatar, Bahrain, Khobar, and Jeddah. It has typically been true that luxury brands are of the first to identify new wealthy areas and position themselves there. Like prospectors, luxury brands like Cartier would rather enter new and growing markets than cultivate presence in existing locations all over the Western world. Some luxury makers such as Bvlgari take slightly different approaches, as they have reportedly been planning to reduce the average cost of their luxury items and watches to better conform with current spending trends. Cartier's approach seems to be that what has worked for them for 160 years through many types of world economic problems will again help them persist through these times until luxury consumer spending is back on the rise.

Via Business 24-7.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Of course people are talking about Michelle Obama's choice of wardrobe for her official White House image located on the White House website. The attire while elegant, is distinctly modern and does not draw attention away from the face. Associated Press writer Caryn Rousseau reported on the photograph and commented on the first lady's choice of accessories including her jewelry and wrist watch. For the photograph, Michelle Obama chose her steel Cartier Tank Francaise - a popular Cartier Tank watch that is tasteful and luxurious without being showy - a good choice for any First Lady. The watch comes in both male and female models with various levels of gilding.

Michelle Obama's subtle yet sophisticated taste shows in her choice of wearing the undecorated version of the watch in steel, although the watch is available with gold and with diamond settings. The White House portrait of the first lady does not make the model of the watch clear, but the trained eye is easily able to pick up the recognizable timepiece. Cartier themselves expressed surprise and excitement over the picture as they had no idea she would be wearing the particular watch for the occasion.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Luxury brands are struggling to find footing in today's rough economic climate but there was no sign of that during Cartier's official opening of its biggest boutique in the Middle East. The over 7,500-square-foot showroom in the Dubai Mall is the brand's third in store in Dubai. The opening event was attended by actress Monica Bellucci and Bollywood stars including Anil Kapoor.

The store had its soft open three months ago but Cartier President and Chief Executive Officer Bernard Fornas tells the Khaleej Times that even with the economic slowdown business has been good and that the store is an investment in the future. When the economy recovers, Cartier will be waiting with a huge store in one of the world's biggest malls. Dubai remains a key spot for luxury brands because it is visited not just by rich Emiratis but by the emerging wealthy from China and India.

Luxury jeweler Cartier is taking on home shopping giant QVC Inc. Cartier has sued QVC alleging that the company has promoted and sold watches that look a little too much like Cartier's Santos and Pasha Grille watches. Some of the watches are part of the Joan Rivers jewelry collection. The brand is also suing QVC's business partners JMAM and TWI Watches which produced the designs. Cartier has called for all infringing goods to be destroyed and is asking for all profits from past sales of the items in question.

Cartier has often taken a hard line against any watches that bear any resemblance to Cartier pieces. It sued Amazon and Geneve Gold for selling knockoffs of the Tank Francaise, Tank Americaine and Panthere watches through Amazon.com and genevegold.com. Last year Cartier sued Donna Karan for marketing timepieces with the word "Tank," which Cartier says it has copyrighted It has also gone after sellers on eBay and other auction sites for selling counterfeits.

Earlier this month The Classicist wrote about the wild world of snow polo; this weekend the 25^th annual Cartier Polo World Cup On Snow is taking place in St. Moritz, proving that the rich have not entirely given up their expensive pastimes. Snow polo was invented on the posh resort's frozen lake back in 1985. Four teams will be competing, fielded by Cartier, Maybach, Swiss private bank Julius Baer, and last year's winner, Brioni, all featuring world-class players. Nine years ago snow polo arrived in the US and a championship is now played annually in Aspen, our very own St. Moritz. For snow polo, the ponies are shod with special cleated shoes to provide better traction, and the ball is larger, lighter, and painted bright orange to accommodate winter conditions.

One of the more interesting new Cartier watches at SIHH 2009 this year is the Rotonde Central Chronograph. This watch uses Cartier's new in-house manually-wound 9907 MC calibre movement built in La Chaux de Fonds. The look of the watch is unique to say the least, with the centrally placed chronograph subdial measuring 30 minutes, with a disc that literally covers most of the hour and minute hand on the watch face.

The chronograph dial is very easy to read as all 30 minutes are displayed on the central revolving disc. The chronograph seconds are displayed on a thin blued hand that uses the middle 60 second ring. This means that there is no seconds hands for the main time. I think the watch suffers from a bit of concentric circle-itis. I count five functional rings on the face. I also feel as though the hour hand is too long, or the minute hand is too short. I can see this becoming a legibility issue for some people.

I do however approve of the large rectangular chronograph pushers, and the new interpretation of the traditional Cartier crown. See the bulbous sapphire crystal cabochon, and dotted periphery that decorate the crown. The dial features some guilloche engraving, while the 18k gold case complements the overall theme of the watch nicely.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.