History in the Remaking

How Cartier’s new vintage programme restores and resells) coveted watches and jewellery.

- Paige Reddinger

VINTAGE CARTIER HAS always been a hot commodity, and the Parisian jeweller has always sold a selection of such pieces in its flagship boutiques. But with the secondary market through the roof in nearly every luxury sector, the house has decided to up the offering. “We have a huge demand with a lot of requests from clients,” says Pierre Rainero, Cartier’s longtime director of image, heritage and style.

The commercial vintage programme, known as Cartier Tradition, officially began in 1996 and was conceived by Rainero, who has been with the company in various roles since the 1980s. It has grown from a handful of pieces to an inventory large enough to fill a wing of an exhibition space.

While some items are still displayed behind vitrines in-store, most of the pieces, ranging in price from US$20,000 and up, are shown to select VIP clients around the globe during high jewellery presentations.

Highlights include a grandiose turquoise necklace set in 18k yellow gold from 1956 and a diamond-and onyx bird brooch from 1929 with a tilted citrine as its centrepiece. “The idea of putting that stone at a certain angle to create a position or an attitude or posture was born from that specific stone,” says Rainero. “I like that because it shows a way of creating that is very Cartier.”