In 1847, Louis François Cartier took over the craft boutique of his mentor, Adolphe Picard, located at 29 Rue Montorgueil, in Paris, marking the foundation of Maison Cartier.
The luxury boutique gained its first royal customer in 1856 when Princess Mathilde Bonaparte, cousin of Emperor Napoleon III, approached Louis François to repair her necklace. This set the stage for Cartier’s flourishing and expansion. In 1899, Louis Cartier established his own boutique at 13 Rue de la Paix in Paris and introduced Garland-style jewelry, which featured neoclassical French designs, including organic shapes and delicate lace details.
As the prominent fashion house grew, Pierre Cartier, Louis Cartier’s brother, expanded the boutique internationally, establishing a new location in London in 1902. In 1904, Maison Cartier received its first royal certificate, granted by King Edward VII and his royal court, making Cartier the official vendor for multiple royal courts. Pierre continued his travels across the Atlantic to the United States, where in 1909 he opened a New York Cartier boutique at 712 Fifth Avenue.
Cartier became known for using geometric shapes, unique colors and platinum settings heavily influenced by the Art Deco movement in the 1920s and 1930s. In the 1960s, the boutique embraced modernism and featured its most iconic and notable design, the Love Bracelet.
Designed in 1969 in New York by Aldo Cipullo, the Love Bracelet challenged the traditional ideas of jewelry. Crafted in 18-karat gold, the bracelet featured an oval shape, secured with screws and accompanied by a screwdriver, which is required to remove or adjust the bracelet around the wrist. The locking mechanism symbolizes the quality of connection and security between the owner and their partner.
Cipullo was drawn to minimalist and functional designs, drawing inspiration from American hardware stores. He redefined jewelry, shifting its focus from a symbol of status and wealth to an item designed for everyday wear. Cipullo was searching for a permanent symbol of love and drew from his experience with romance and partnership when designing the bracelet. He explained that the bracelet is everlasting and is intended to be worn by both men and women.
The bracelet gained significant popularity in the 1970s when Princess Caroline of Monaco and Hollywood celebrities, such as Ali MacGraw, the top-grossing female actress of the early 1970s, were seen wearing it. Originally priced at $250, the bracelet’s value has since soared, now retailing between $7,350 and $62,000. Cartier further elevated the design by incorporating diamonds, enhancing its elegance.
Today, the iconic piece continues to encapsulate everlasting, intertwined relationships that Cipullo originally envisioned.
