Cartier was set up in yr 1847 when Louis-Francois, then a prentice to Parisian jeweler Adolph Picard, bought up the business when his chief died. By 1853, young Louis-Francois had turned into a dearly of Napoleon III’s cousin Mathilde, who helped company for entry to French society. In 1874, Louis-Francois’s son Alfred took in the party’s reins. He successively brought his sons, Pierre, Louis and Jacques into the firm—it was this 3rd generation of the company that would make the Paris jeweler’s name synonymous with opulent watches.
