Modern era · Founded 1847
Cartier Watches
Cartier, the Paris jeweler founded in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier, helped make the wristwatch a men's accessory. In 1904 Louis Cartier designed the Santos for his friend, aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, and in 1917 the Tank.
Key facts
| Founded | 1847, Paris |
|---|---|
| Founder | Louis-François Cartier |
| Watch pioneer | Louis Cartier, his grandson |
| Famous watches | Santos (1904), Tank (1917) |
| Owner today | Richemont |
A watch for a pilot
In the early 1900s men carried pocket watches; wristwatches were seen as women's jewelry. The Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont complained to his friend Louis Cartier that he couldn't pull out a pocket watch while flying. Cartier designed him a flat, square watch on a leather strap. The Santos, released commercially in 1911, is one of the first purpose-built men's wristwatches.
The Tank
In 1917 Louis Cartier designed the Tank, its rectangular case and side bars inspired by the outline of tanks on the Western Front. Its clean shape has barely changed in more than a century, and it's been worn by everyone from Jacqueline Kennedy to Andy Warhol, who famously said he didn't wind his because he wasn't wearing it to tell the time.
Read more: Who invented the watch? 50 inventions · the full story of the watchmakers
Questions people ask
What was the first men's wristwatch?
Breguet made a wristwatch for a woman in 1810. Among the first designed for a man was Cartier's Santos (1904), made for aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont.
Why is the Cartier Tank called the Tank?
Its shape was inspired by the tanks used in World War I.
Sources
Last updated October 18, 2026. Found an error? Tell us.