Are you looking at Cartier watches for women, either for yourself or for that special lady in your life? Kudos. Cartier makes truly iconic timepieces - watches that stand virtually alone as the world's most renowned, luxurious, and beautiful.
It was Louis Cartier's lifelong quest to develop watches that were the "perfect balance between aesthetics, structure, and function," and while he passed away in 1942, each of today's lines of Cartier watches for women still embody that mission.
What to Buy - Styles Pricing
Naturally, the question of what to buy has no real answer. It's a decision best left to the buyer based on preference of style, price, shape, and other factors. Here is a quick summary of some of Cartier's more well known models.
Roadster: The Roadster line was released in 2001 as a throwback to the sports cars of the 1950s and 1960s. It features a racy look with sleek curves, much as you'd expect from a classy car. The Roadster shape is much like the timeless Tortue model and far less expensive, ranking among the more affordable Cartier watches for women.
Tortue: The Cartier Tortue was designed as a ladies watch. In fact, there wasn't even a Tortue for men until 1928, more than 15 years after the first Tortue was released. This line features round curves and is a legendary shape highly prized by collectors. The 5-figure price tag reflects this.
Tank: Tank debuted in 1917, making it another of Cartier's timeless lines. Simple but elegant, Tank is a rectangular watch with numerous "sub-styles" including Americaine Francaise, Divan, Solo and others. Each varies by shape of the rectangle ranging from tall... to wide... to nearly square. The price tags vary widely within the Tank sub-styles as well
Tankissime: While unmistakably related to Tank's overall style and shape, Tankissime is in a class of its own. It is an extraordinarily elegant watch with a sleek gold or silver band that's perhaps better described as a bracelet. The band is often lined with diamonds making it one of Cartier's more exquisite and high quality timepieces. The Tankissime generally carries a 5-figure price tag.
Pasha: Pasha is one of Cartier's oldest lines, but boasts a wide selection of styles (and prices) easily able to satisfy modern tastes as well. It was originally designed as a swimming watch with its sleek, circular design that's inherently durable and water resistant. Unlike many other styles the Pasha face features numbers, not roman numerals.
Santos: Santos embodies the timelessness of Cartier with a style as modern today as it was more than a century ago when unveiled in 1904. The face embraces fine geometric form with its iconic square inside a rectangle design. Rounded corners give the piece a feel of energy and flow.
Where to Buy - Traditional or Online Retailer
When it comes to buying an expensive watch, whether it's a Cartier or any other prestigious brand, the most important thing is to buy from someone you trust. Not just to avoid replicas and fakes, but for other reasons as well.
For one thing, you certainly want to make sure you're getting the full manufacturer's warranty as well as any authenticity certificates that come with it.
It's also good to know what recourse you have if you decide you want to return it... especially if it's a gift. It's hard to imagine a woman who wouldn't appreciate a Cartier, but with so many styles, she may not want to settle for anything less than the perfect one.
Plus, in the unlikely event of a defect, it's always more reassuring to deal with a seller you trust.
In short, familiarize yourself with the policies of any retailer you're considering.
If you're looking online, rest assured that there are several experienced online watch retailers that are accustomed to these concerns and that have policies to ensure their customers are confident and happy, both before and after the sale. While traditional stores vary, your local high-end jeweler is probably just as committed to your satisfaction.
Naturally, price is also important. I have found that while it's nice to be able to look at a watch in a store, shopping on the internet is often a surefire way to get the best deal. It an easy way to compare several companies at once. Best of all, there are many internet based companies who have great reputations, great policies,and great prices.
