Lifestyle Report From Paris - 1: Inside the house of Cartier
September 13, 2006 | 12:00am
A funny thing happened when I went to Paris recently to visit the Cartier Boutique. I saw the gilded entrance, the period furniture and the stately walls covered with vintage photographs. And jewelry collections, each one in a special glass showcase. Awesome. I felt I had just entered an elegant museum.
So I asked: Can I have a tour guide here?
I was kidding, of course. But Celine Bassard, the Cartier International press officer who welcomed me, was not kidding when she said: "Yes, and he’s ready!"
Waiting there for us was a tall, charming, erudite-looking man ready to lecture with an apparent seriousness of purpose. But I sensed the man also had a ready smile, a sense of humor and a keen eye for fashion. I saw a bright red-strapped leather Cartier Tank watch peeping from the cuff of his elegant suit. Cool!
"My name is Thierry Bousquet," he said, shaking my hand as he handed me his calling card. "Cartier Tradition," it said. That meant he was in charge of matters pertaining to Cartier heirlooms and history.
I was eager to begin my tour of Cartier history.
"This boutique was opened in l899 when Cartier moved to this building. Cartier was among the first to come here, and he had the right premonition, don’t you think so?"
Absolutely, I answered. Located on Rue de la Paix, this Cartier Boutique is just a stone’s throw from L’Opera, Place Vendome and the Louvre. Nice neighborhood.
"This boutique was renovated last year, not really to give it a new look based on the late 19th century, but for it to be based on the past, say Louis XV or Louis XVI."
Wow, are all the furniture pieces vintage?
"We have tried our best to get from antique dealers, and we also have copies of furniture from the period."
"Look here," he said, pointing to the dramatic wooden staircase with a balcony that embraces the second floor. "Doesn’t it look like a Titanic staircase in that movie starring that boy... what’s his name...?"
Leonardo DiCaprio, you mean?
"Yes! If you wish I could take your photo from this angle, while you do a Titanic pose," he suggested.
But I would need a Leonardo DiCaprio for that, I said. We both laughed, and he proceeded to show me a vintage portrait occupying the central area of the staircase.
"Now this is Alfred Cartier, the son of the founder Louis-Francois Cartier who started Cartier in 1847 in Paris. Alfred took over in 1874 and in 1899 moved to this present address, 13 Rue de la Paix. Encouraged by King Edward VII, Cartier opened in London in l902 with son Jacques as manager, then in New York with son Pierre, while son Louis took care of Paris."
I followed him for a tour of the rooms on the first floor. "Notice the delicate wooden flooring," he said, "and the walls with photographic replicas of our pieces. All in all, Cartier has about three or maybe five tons of photographic plates. Perhaps we are the only jeweler with records of all our pieces.
"Now this is the Louis Cartier Salon," he said, pointing to a room with a very genteel and elegant atmosphere. "Yes, all our salons have names. Now look at that original Gravity Clock, circa 1910. This mantle piece is in marble, and it echoes the marble of the showroom facade.
"Now here is the library. Some books are really vintage. That photo shows Alfred Cartier and his sons – Louis, Pierre and Jacques. Now take note of that photo showing one of the Cartier sons on a trip in Oman, meeting with businessmen who were looking for pearls.
"Next, we have this private room for VIPs who want high jewelry pieces from the current collection. Take note of that exquisite heart-shaped diamond for that necklace."
Yes, they are so beautiful. The workmanship is so excellent.
"These pieces are done in our jewelry workshops which we have on two floors of this six-story building... Now we move to the room showcasing Cartier Tradition, meaning only old, perhaps historical pieces, some from the 1920s, some from the 19th Century. We want to incorporate items in our patrimonial collection, and very unique pieces are sold in places like Italy, France, England and the United States... Take note of this lapel watch in onyx and diamond, very typical of the 1920s. And this powder case, so beautiful in turquoise... and this mother-of-pearl piece. Now look at this collection of rare pocket watches with Arabic numerals. Really rare...
"And see here, this mirage clock which works on the principle of mirrors. And how about this orchid collection of jewelry?"
Exquisite, really exquisite. I was breathless.
"Now let us proceed to the second floor. Here we have the reception areas for the after-sales department." In other words, this is where you go to have your Cartier piece repaired or restored.
"Now here is the salon dedicated to the Panther theme which became famous in the ’30s and ’40s... Now look at our designs with various inspirations – African, Arabic, Asian... And see that flower brooch designed for the Duchess of Windsor? ... Now take note of this photo of Mexican actress Maria Felix; we have just named a new watch after her called La Dona... Over here, more portraits of important clients such as the maharajahs, one of them bought the biggest Cartier necklace ever made... Please take note of these platinum pieces here. Platinum is a very noble material, and it was Cartier who saw it as perfect for jewelry."
Is there a museum where we can view more of Cartier’s rare heirloom pieces?
"We don’t really call it a museum, but a patrimonial collection which has been traveling in museums around the world for the past 30 years. Composed of 1,200 pieces, this collection goes where it is requested. Next year, for instance, we will show 400 pieces at the Kremlin in Moscow. A separate set will go for exhibition in Lisbon, Portugal."
I examined several pieces of jewelry dazzling beneath the glass cases. Each one had a story to tell – what icon or royalty personage inspired its creation, which country in the world was the source of its stones, how many artists were involved in its design and in what period of history it was originally created.
When you wear a Cartier, you wear a fragment of history.
Queens and maharajahs ascended their thrones with crown jewels, many of them by Cartier. Our own Imelda Marcos, alas, fell from her throne leaving behind boxes of Cartier jewelry as the dictator’s family fled from Malacañang.
Legendary women basked in their trademark gems – the Duchess of Windsor with her famous Cartier brooch in the 1940s, Jackie Kennedy with her Cartier diamond starburst brooch, Princess Diana with her favorite Cartier Tank watches. For every marriage, a celebration in jewelry was the credo of Elizabeth Taylor, one of whose famous wedding gifts was a Cartier ruby and diamond necklace from Mike Todd.
And let us not forget that the first practical wristwatch was invented by Cartier. And that Cartier created jewelry for Russian czars since 1877, including those fabulous eggs now enshrined in their museums.
As I stepped out of the Cartier Boutique and walked along Rue de la Paix to my next stop, I realized: I did not just visit a jewelry store. I saw facets of history in diamonds.
Cartier is exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Rustan’s
E-mail the author at milletmananquil@yahoo.com.
So I asked: Can I have a tour guide here?
I was kidding, of course. But Celine Bassard, the Cartier International press officer who welcomed me, was not kidding when she said: "Yes, and he’s ready!"
Waiting there for us was a tall, charming, erudite-looking man ready to lecture with an apparent seriousness of purpose. But I sensed the man also had a ready smile, a sense of humor and a keen eye for fashion. I saw a bright red-strapped leather Cartier Tank watch peeping from the cuff of his elegant suit. Cool!
"My name is Thierry Bousquet," he said, shaking my hand as he handed me his calling card. "Cartier Tradition," it said. That meant he was in charge of matters pertaining to Cartier heirlooms and history.
I was eager to begin my tour of Cartier history.
"This boutique was opened in l899 when Cartier moved to this building. Cartier was among the first to come here, and he had the right premonition, don’t you think so?"
Absolutely, I answered. Located on Rue de la Paix, this Cartier Boutique is just a stone’s throw from L’Opera, Place Vendome and the Louvre. Nice neighborhood.
"This boutique was renovated last year, not really to give it a new look based on the late 19th century, but for it to be based on the past, say Louis XV or Louis XVI."
Wow, are all the furniture pieces vintage?
"We have tried our best to get from antique dealers, and we also have copies of furniture from the period."
"Look here," he said, pointing to the dramatic wooden staircase with a balcony that embraces the second floor. "Doesn’t it look like a Titanic staircase in that movie starring that boy... what’s his name...?"
Leonardo DiCaprio, you mean?
"Yes! If you wish I could take your photo from this angle, while you do a Titanic pose," he suggested.
But I would need a Leonardo DiCaprio for that, I said. We both laughed, and he proceeded to show me a vintage portrait occupying the central area of the staircase.
"Now this is Alfred Cartier, the son of the founder Louis-Francois Cartier who started Cartier in 1847 in Paris. Alfred took over in 1874 and in 1899 moved to this present address, 13 Rue de la Paix. Encouraged by King Edward VII, Cartier opened in London in l902 with son Jacques as manager, then in New York with son Pierre, while son Louis took care of Paris."
I followed him for a tour of the rooms on the first floor. "Notice the delicate wooden flooring," he said, "and the walls with photographic replicas of our pieces. All in all, Cartier has about three or maybe five tons of photographic plates. Perhaps we are the only jeweler with records of all our pieces.
"Now this is the Louis Cartier Salon," he said, pointing to a room with a very genteel and elegant atmosphere. "Yes, all our salons have names. Now look at that original Gravity Clock, circa 1910. This mantle piece is in marble, and it echoes the marble of the showroom facade.
"Now here is the library. Some books are really vintage. That photo shows Alfred Cartier and his sons – Louis, Pierre and Jacques. Now take note of that photo showing one of the Cartier sons on a trip in Oman, meeting with businessmen who were looking for pearls.
"Next, we have this private room for VIPs who want high jewelry pieces from the current collection. Take note of that exquisite heart-shaped diamond for that necklace."
Yes, they are so beautiful. The workmanship is so excellent.
"These pieces are done in our jewelry workshops which we have on two floors of this six-story building... Now we move to the room showcasing Cartier Tradition, meaning only old, perhaps historical pieces, some from the 1920s, some from the 19th Century. We want to incorporate items in our patrimonial collection, and very unique pieces are sold in places like Italy, France, England and the United States... Take note of this lapel watch in onyx and diamond, very typical of the 1920s. And this powder case, so beautiful in turquoise... and this mother-of-pearl piece. Now look at this collection of rare pocket watches with Arabic numerals. Really rare...
"And see here, this mirage clock which works on the principle of mirrors. And how about this orchid collection of jewelry?"
Exquisite, really exquisite. I was breathless.
"Now let us proceed to the second floor. Here we have the reception areas for the after-sales department." In other words, this is where you go to have your Cartier piece repaired or restored.
"Now here is the salon dedicated to the Panther theme which became famous in the ’30s and ’40s... Now look at our designs with various inspirations – African, Arabic, Asian... And see that flower brooch designed for the Duchess of Windsor? ... Now take note of this photo of Mexican actress Maria Felix; we have just named a new watch after her called La Dona... Over here, more portraits of important clients such as the maharajahs, one of them bought the biggest Cartier necklace ever made... Please take note of these platinum pieces here. Platinum is a very noble material, and it was Cartier who saw it as perfect for jewelry."
Is there a museum where we can view more of Cartier’s rare heirloom pieces?
"We don’t really call it a museum, but a patrimonial collection which has been traveling in museums around the world for the past 30 years. Composed of 1,200 pieces, this collection goes where it is requested. Next year, for instance, we will show 400 pieces at the Kremlin in Moscow. A separate set will go for exhibition in Lisbon, Portugal."
I examined several pieces of jewelry dazzling beneath the glass cases. Each one had a story to tell – what icon or royalty personage inspired its creation, which country in the world was the source of its stones, how many artists were involved in its design and in what period of history it was originally created.
When you wear a Cartier, you wear a fragment of history.
Queens and maharajahs ascended their thrones with crown jewels, many of them by Cartier. Our own Imelda Marcos, alas, fell from her throne leaving behind boxes of Cartier jewelry as the dictator’s family fled from Malacañang.
Legendary women basked in their trademark gems – the Duchess of Windsor with her famous Cartier brooch in the 1940s, Jackie Kennedy with her Cartier diamond starburst brooch, Princess Diana with her favorite Cartier Tank watches. For every marriage, a celebration in jewelry was the credo of Elizabeth Taylor, one of whose famous wedding gifts was a Cartier ruby and diamond necklace from Mike Todd.
And let us not forget that the first practical wristwatch was invented by Cartier. And that Cartier created jewelry for Russian czars since 1877, including those fabulous eggs now enshrined in their museums.
As I stepped out of the Cartier Boutique and walked along Rue de la Paix to my next stop, I realized: I did not just visit a jewelry store. I saw facets of history in diamonds.
BrandSpace Articles
<
>
