One of the oldest jewelers in the world, catering to the whims of royalty and movie stars alike, Cartier enjoys a reputation for selling only the finest quality jewelry and accessories. Nowhere is this philosophy more in evidence than Cartier's highly diverse line of wristwatches, many of which are the most recognizable designs on the planet. From the Tank or Pasha models, to the finest bejeweled creations for women, there is literally a Cartier for everyone, at almost every price point.

Cartier was founded in Paris by Louis-Francois Cartier, son of a powder horn maker. The year was 1847; just four short years later, Napoleon III came to power and through Countess Nieuwerkerke, the young Cartier was able to become a supplier to the court, selling Empress Eugenie a silver tea service in 1859. In the same year, Cartier rented quarters on the Boulevard des Italiens in what was then the most fashionable neighborhood in Paris. Cartier's jewelry was characterized by a light, airy touch in contrast to the overly formal and overwrought ornaments of the period.

In 1874, Cartier's son Alfred took over the business and expanded it considerably. That included watches, which Louis-Francois had only dabbled in. In 1899, Alfred's son Louis Cartier entered the firm. Louis Cartier was a great lover of mechanical pocket watches and wanted the company to build its own watches.

In 1904, Louis Cartier met the Brazilian aviator, Alberto Santos-Dumont, who complained of the unreliability of pocket watches in flight. Cartier rose to the challenge, designing a flat wristwatch with a distinctive square bezel. This watch was not only a hit with Santos-Dumont, but also with Cartier's many clients. Thus, out of this timeless design, the "Santos" was born. Incredibly enough, this watch is still produced today in much the same form.

In 1907, Cartier signed a contract with Edmond Jaeger, who agreed to exclusively supply the movements for Cartier watches. By this time, Cartier had branches in London, New York and St. Petersburg and was quickly becoming one of the most successful watch companies in the world. The introduction of the Baignoire and Tortue models (both of which are still in production today) took place in 1912, followed by the Tank model's debut in 1917. In 1932, the watertight watch made especially for the Pasha of Marrakesh - raised the bar even higher. Needless to say, the innovations, both in terms of design and technology, continued apace.

In the early 1920s Cartier formed a joint company with Edward Jaeger (of the famed Jaeger-Le Coultre company) to produce movements solely for Cartier. Thus was the famed European watch & clock company born, although Cartier continued to use movements from other great makers. Cartier watches can be found with movements from Vacheron Constantin, Audemars-Piguet, Movado and Le-Coultre. It was also during this period that Cartier began adding its own reference numbers to the watches it sold, usually by stamping a four-digit code on the underside of a lug. In fact, many collectors refuse to accept a Cartier as original, unless these numbers are present.

In 1942, Louis Cartier died and his successors were unable to continue without his artistic genius. As a result, the company became financially and artistically stagnant. It was only in 1972, when a group of investors took over the company and installed Alain Perrin as its CEO, that the company finally regained lost ground. Perrin, a former antique dealer, turned the company around. By developing the "Le Must" line, as well as creating new versions of classics such as the "Santos", Perrin managed to re-establish Cartier as an innovative and fashionable watchmaker.

On April 12, 06:07 GMT, 1961 Juri Gagarin, at the controls of Vostok One, ushered in a new era, one of manned space flight, and the world was forever changed. The technology that put this man in space and brought him safely home, was some of the newest and most modern equipment available. Ironically, on his wrist was a technology that was already centuries old-- watch making. It may seem odd to us now in this time of extremely accurate quartz watches, but at the time, the mechanical wrist watch was an important piece of gear, and it’s accuracy and reliability were of paramount concern. In light of these concerns, the choice of watch Gagarin took with him would not have been a decision made in haste.

The STURMANSKIE, which had been issued to new graduates of the prestigious Orenberg Flight School along with their diplomas since the late 1940’s, was a logical choice, due to the high quality of the movement and inherent accuracy of the watch. Gagarin would have been supplied with such a 1st Moscow Watch Factory Sturmanskie opon graduation from Orenberg as well, but it is doubtful that he would have received the Sturmanskie he wore into space at that time. Most likely, he would have been awarded a 15 jewel watch, very similar to the one he wore in space but lacking some of the newer features that were unavailable at that time.

Based on an earlier French design, the Lip R26, from which the Soviets purchased the machinery to produce the watch. The Soviet’s had updated the design by adding a central seconds complication and a hacking feature that allowed the watch to be precisely stopped and synchronized with a given time signal. A critical detail on any military watch, but especially so on a Navigator’s watch, where often location would be ascertained by correctly estimating where the aircraft was by accurately measuring time to distance.

The Sturmanskie Gagarin wore into space had a highly finished (including Geneva striping!) 17 jewel, shock protected movement. The movement was housed in a chrome plated, two-piece case measuring 33 mm across, 12 mm high, with a 16 mm lug size and had a stainless steel screw back. Unlike the earlier watch’s stainless steel snap back, the new watch was fully gasketed providing better water resistance.

Vulcain was founded in 1858 by Maurice Mitisheim, who had specialized himself in watch complications. Not only was he a skilled watchmaker, he was a careful businessman and his watch business grew. Wrist watches was decades away, pocket watches where Mitisheim's sole product in the 19th century.

The company began to manufacture wristwatches in the 1920s and 1930s. The 1940s were marked by innovation, receiving numerous patents for their watch movement designs. However, it was the Vulcain Cricket mechanical alarm wrist watch introduced in 1947 that marked a turning point in the company's history. Vulcain's accuracy was recognized when it won the international Chronometry Competition in 1948 at the Neufchatel Observatory.

When U.S. President Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon and Lyndon Johnson sported their Vulcain Cricket watch, it literally put the small watch company on the map. The popularity of Vulcain grew dramatically as a result of these U.S. presidents wearing their Crickets. However, storm clouds were forming on the Swiss watch making horizon. Like virtually every other watch company, the advent of quartz technology impacted Vulcain as well.

The small company remained fiercely mechanical and refused to adopt quartz technology. Vulcain chose to be a mechanical movement holdout in the 1970s and 1980s, but the availability of more affordable quartz watches, coupled with their inherent accuracy, doomed the small company. After operating for more than 100 years, Vulcain ceased operation and closed its doors.

In 2001, Bernard Fleury, the director of Production et Marketing Horloger SA, saw a market niche for the return of the mechanical alarm watch and purchased the brand and rights to the name. It also sought out watchmakers who had worked for Vulcain. However, this time new technology would be employed in the form of 3D computer modeling software that is now commonplace in the design of new Swiss watches. With amazing speed, a new line of Cricket watches was introduced in 2002 and the Vulcain brand relaunched with much fanfare at the Basel show that year. Even established watch company directors paid the Vulcain booth a visit to speak with its director and Vulcain's watchmakers.

Today, the company is located in Le Locle near the western Swiss border. It continues to build on its unique mechanical alarm design, and demand for their fine watches continues to grow.

The company is likely named in honour of the “Lac Léman” region of Switzerland. “Lac Léman” is called “Lake Geneva” in English and “Genfersee” in German. “Lac Léman” was originally called
“Lacus Lemanius” by the Romans.

Although the Hamilton Watch Company opened in December of 1892, they spent over a year "gearing up" without producing a watch. Their start of production was March of 1894. The only watches they produced were pocket watches, most notably their reliable railroad watches.
In 1908, they started making ladies pendant watches which were much smaller than the large pocket watches produced until then. Ladies wristwatches were introduced after World War I. They were a re styling of the pendant watches, and had cloth or ribbon straps.
Men's wristwatches were considered effeminent prior to the 1920's. Hamilton introduced their first men's "strap watch" on November 11, 1922. They had to not only market the watch, but they had to market the "idea" of a strap or wrist watch. Finally, their use in hot summers when vests were not worn, the association with the war, explorers, and rugged outdoor activities all helped the wristwatch gain acceptance. Hamilton was out in front selling the idea, and aimed much of their promotional materials at merchants--how to sell the "idea."
In the late twenties, they introduced some stylish watches like the "Cushion," "Square," and the "Tonneau." Their art deco designs of the 1930's were accompanied with the practice of naming all of the watches. Many people think the 1930's designs were the golden age of Hamilton's design and production.
World War II saw the halt of consumer production to concentrate on military watches. Following the war, they sold pre-war designs. Hamilton had introduced new designs in the early 1950's. By the mid 50's, their styling failed to capture the American public.
In 1957, they introduced the world's first electric watch--the Ventura. With a radical asymmetric design to accompany the radical technology, it became Hamilton's best ever selling gold watch. Many think that the superb manual movements of the 1930's through the 1950's, and the innovative electric watch, make Hamilton the most influential watch company of the century.