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.

Two years ago luxury brands were aiming at the masses and Dana Thomas wrote an entire book on how luxury was losing its luster. With these sobering economic times, will luxury get some of its "luster" back? That seem to be the message from Cartier CEO Bernard Fornas who told Reuters at the SIHH watchfair that " the real, true luxury is back" and that consumers are being tougher with their choice of brands.

His words come as Cartier parent company, Richemont posted at 12 percent drop in third-quarter sales and announced that 180 out of around 200 staff making watch casings at a Cartier plant in Switzerland would be put on part-time work starting next month. Richemont's statement included the grim forecast that :"given the current economic climate and the uncertainties facing us, we see no cause for optimism."

Swiss watch exports have fallen and Richemont has seen demand for their brands including Cartier, Montblanc, Piaget, IWC, Baume & Mercier and others sink over the past year especially in the United States. Bernard Fornas found hope at the Geneva watchfair, saying that it was better than expected. As my colleague Ariel Adams recently mentioned, Cartier is refining and adding to its classic lines introducing a new Cartier Tank Americaine Tourbillon Volant Watch to tempt watch buyers.

It seems that some brands are facing a new crossroads: either come up with lower priced goods to tempt the customers they spent the last few years acquiring or retreat, slow production, cut jobs and focus on the smaller, wealthier customers who will continue to spend, albeit a bit more carefully.

Getting ready for SIHH 2009, Cartier is doing everything in their power not to share Bvlgari's fate this year of losses due to the falling luxury marketing as a result of the poor economy. Instead of too much experimentation, Cartier is refining and adding to its classic lines. The Tank is a typical Cartier icon, with an beautiful iteration here fitted with a flying tourbillon.

The Tank Americaine Tourbillon Volant (another name for flying tourbillon) goes back the original (well the most popular at least historically) squared luxury watches. Dial engravings are common of today's upper echelon of Cartier fare, with a beautiful case design almost as nice the Emperador watch from Piaget. The difference being the intensity of the lugs as they connect to the sides of the case sandwiching the dial.

Take a look at the beautifully large crown with equally impressive sapphire crystal cabochon. Operating it lets you feel the smooth, manually wound mechanical Cartier caliber 9452MC with flying tourbillon complication and Geneva Seal. Power reserve is 50 hours. Going along with the the style of today, the Tank Americaine is aptly large at 52mm tall and 36mm wide. The case is 18k rose gold, and the hands, as always, are heat-blued and lovely. A bold follow up to a Cartier classic.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

It was only a matter of time before the Cartier Santos got the skeletonized treatment. It has been already been done with most of their other popular watch lines. At SIHH 2009 this month, Cartier will debut the limited edition Santos 100 Squelette watch based on the Santos XL case size. This large 46.5mm x 55mm classic square "tank" case will hold a finely carved Cartier individually numbered manually-wound caliber 9611MC movement, with a 72 hour power reserve. Through sapphire crystals on the front and rear of the watch, you can literally see right through to the other side, clearly viewing all watch operations with each glance. You have to give Cartier credit for shaving as much metal off the movement as possible.

Unlike most skeletonized watches, the watch face is literally carved into the movement. That way you still get Cartier's signature use of Roman numeral hour markers. The Santos 100 Squelette case is constructed from palladium, that looks great with contrasting polished and brushed surfaces. The blued steel hands complete the beautiful look of this exotic Cartier watch.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Given the recent lackluster art auctions, people are understandably wary about the Art Basel Miami Beach show next month but the warm weather art event still hopes to attract the wealthy. As the Wall Street Journal reports, Cartier, which is the only jewelry sponsor of the event, will debut two jewelry collections, a high jewelry collection with tasseled pieces using sapphires and red spinels and Hypnose, an Art Deco-inspired line of black and white rings, pendants, bracelets and drop earrings. The collections will be displayed at the fair inside the Cartier Dome, which will feature a new visual installation, Diamonds, Gold and Dreams created by the filmmaker David Lynch, from Dec. 3 through Dec. 7. The piece includes a seven-minute "floating diamond" projection that will be displayed each hour accompanied by a musical score in an atmosphere that includes golden-fabric walls, gold-printed carpeting, gold trimmed display cases, an ornate curved display case for thePatiala necklace, and gold-accented furniture with reflective glass tops. The jewelry pieces will arrive in Cartier boutiques in March.