Overview

"The Cartiers is the captivating tale of the family behind the Cartier empire as told by a granddaughter with exclusive access to long-lost family archives. ""A dynamic group biography studded with design history and high-society dash . . . This elegantly wrought narrative bears the Cartier hallmark.""-The Economist The ""astounding"" (Andre Leon Talley) story of the family behind the Cartier empire and the three brothers who turned their grandfather's humble Parisian jewelry store into a global luxury icon-as told by a great-granddaughter with exclusive access to long-lost family archives ""Ms. Cartier Brickell has done her grandfather proud.""-The Wall Street Journal The Cartiers isthe revealing tale of a jewelry dynasty-four generations, from revolutionary France to the 1970s.At its heart are the three Cartier brothers whose motto was ""Never copy, only create"" and who made their family firm internationally famous in the early days of the twentieth century, thanks to their unique and complementary talents- Louis, the visionary designer who created the first men's wristwatch to help an aviator friend tell the time without taking his hands off the controls of his flying machine; Pierre, the master dealmaker who bought the New York headquarters on Fifth Avenue for a double-stranded natural pearl necklace; and Jacques, the globe-trotting gemstone expert whose travels to India gave Cartier access to the world's best rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, inspiring the celebrated Tutti Frutti jewelry. Francesca Cartier Brickell, whose great-grandfather was the youngest of the brothers, has traveled the world researching her family's history, tracking down those connected with her ancestors and discovering long-lost pieces of the puzzle along the way. Now she reveals never-before-told dramas, romances, intrigues, betrayals, and more. The Cartiers also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the firm's most iconic jewelry-the notoriously cursed Hope Diamond, the Romanov emeralds, the classic panther pieces-and the long line of stars from the worlds of fashion, film, and royalty who wore them, from Indian maharajas and Russian grand duchesses to Wallis Simpson, Coco Chanel, and Elizabeth Taylor. Published in the two-hundredth anniversary year of the birth of the dynasty's founder, Louis-Fran ois Cartier, this book is a magnificent, definitive, epic social history shown through the deeply personal lens of one legendary family."

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9780525621638

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Reviews

[Brickell's grandfather's] accounts are the beating heart of The Cartiers, elevating this from a company story to a human story--one even the unadorned will read with pleasure. --The New York Times Book Review [A] hard-to-put-down account of the generations of the Cartiers and the famed jewels of the global dynasty. --Forbes Artfully documented . . . The story of the Cartier family is the story of wealth creation in the 19th and 20th centuries as it moved in waves from country to country. --Bloomberg Selected among The Best Gifts to Give Your Sister for the Holidays --Harper's Bazaar A thoroughly researched and enjoyable family business history that should appeal to history buffs and lovers of high-end fashion and jewelry alike. --Library Journal In glittering . . . prose, Francesca Cartier Brickell excavates lost family archives and shares with us how three brothers turned a small Parisian ship into a worldwide icon of love and luxury. Part family story, part jewelry-lover's dream, part history--this gem . . . of a book will have a little something for everyone. --LitHub [A] fascinating history written by a scion of Louis-Franccois Cartier . . . With diplomacy, artistry, originality, and a clear love of their work, the saga of the three Cartier brothers and their descendants is as lush as their jewels. --Read It Forward This is an incredible monograph that chronicles the rise and family dynamics of one of the most prestigious and internationally known jewelry brands linked to the family that built it 'brick by brick.' Ms. Brickell . . . proffers a very detailed and somewhat intimate story of the Cartiers. . . . Whether she is writing about the ascension of the brand or the way in which it created its signatures, the author conveys a sense of loyalty. --New York Journal of Books An enchanting jewel of a book. --Douglas Smith, author of Former People: The Final Days of the Russian Aristocracy Four generations of genius, glamour, and ambition are laid bare in Francesca Cartier Brickell's behind-the-scenes account of the Cartier family. Part social history, part affectionate memoir, The Cartiers is a pleasurable stroll through the glittering byways of a more elegant age. --Amanda Foreman, New York Times bestselling author of A World on Fire Francesca Cartier Brickell skillfully traces her family's astounding history through the contents of a weathered suitcase found in her grandfather's cellar. The result is a fascinating account of the Cartier brothers and the creation of this iconic and enduring luxury brand. --Andre Leon Talley, bestselling author of A.L.T.: A Memoir

A human story-one even the unadorned will read with pleasure. -The New York Times Extraordinary. -The Spectator Dramatic. -The Economist Gripping. -Hodinkee Astounding. -Andre Leon Talley Mesmerising. -Town & Country Fascinating. -Tatler Glorious. -The Mail on Sunday Francesca Cartier Brickell's art of weaving the [personal and historical] together . . . show her mastery as a born storyteller with quite a tale to tell. -Forbes An incredible monograph. -New York Journal of Books The Cartier family had, for four generations, a ringside view of events that shaped the world as we know it. -GQ Artfully documented . . . The story of the Cartier family is the story of wealth creation in the 19th and 20th centuries as it moved in waves from country to country. -Bloomberg A must-read for any jewelry professional. -JCK An engrossing study of jewelry history and of high society at its flashiest, studded with entertaining anecdotes. -Publishers Weekly (starred review) An enthralling book because it is the work of a true historian, because it is a phenomenal story and because it is told from the inside, with as much heart and humor as intelligence. -Michele Bimbenet-Privat, Curator Objets d'art, Musee du Louvre Taking a fresh approach to the story of Cartier, Brickell . . . has created a history at once expansive and intimate. -Beth Carver Wees, The Metropolitan Museum of Art A fascinating read, engagingly written, with much new information. -Martin Chapman, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, author of Cartier and America Masterly and compelling. -Richard Edgcumbe, Victoria and Albert Museum Deeply researched and highly energetic . . . The Cartiers shows how the family firm not only created a time and place in history, but how they also helped shape the modern world of luxury. -Bill Dedman, bestselling author of Empty Mansions A telling social history . . . While the diamonds, emeralds and sapphires are indeed stunning, it is the Cartier family characters who steal the show in this gem of a book. -Sonia Purnell, New York Times bestselling author of A Woman of No Importance Through long-lost letters, Cartier Brickell tells the intimate story of how her family's business conquered the world of luxury in the face of revolution, wars, and global depression. The Cartiers is an enchanting jewel of a book. -Douglas Smith, author of Former People: The Final Days of the Russian Aristocracy

[Brickell's grandfather's] accounts are the beating heart of The Cartiers, elevating this from a company story to a human story-one even the unadorned will read with pleasure. -The New York Times Book Review [A] hard-to-put-down account of the generations of the Cartiers and the famed jewels of the global dynasty. -Forbes Artfully documented . . . The story of the Cartier family is the story of wealth creation in the 19th and 20th centuries as it moved in waves from country to country. -Bloomberg Selected among The Best Gifts to Give Your Sister for the Holidays -Harper's Bazaar A thoroughly researched and enjoyable family business history that should appeal to history buffs and lovers of high-end fashion and jewelry alike. -Library Journal In glittering . . . prose, Francesca Cartier Brickell excavates lost family archives and shares with us how three brothers turned a small Parisian ship into a worldwide icon of love and luxury. Part family story, part jewelry-lover's dream, part history-this gem . . . of a book will have a little something for everyone. -LitHub [A] fascinating history written by a scion of Louis-Franccois Cartier . . . With diplomacy, artistry, originality, and a clear love of their work, the saga of the three Cartier brothers and their descendants is as lush as their jewels. -Read It Forward This is an incredible monograph that chronicles the rise and family dynamics of one of the most prestigious and internationally known jewelry brands linked to the family that built it 'brick by brick.' Ms. Brickell . . . proffers a very detailed and somewhat intimate story of the Cartiers. . . . Whether she is writing about the ascension of the brand or the way in which it created its signatures, the author conveys a sense of loyalty. -New York Journal of Books An enchanting jewel of a book. -Douglas Smith, author of Former People: The Final Days of the Russian Aristocracy Four generations of genius, glamour, and ambition are laid bare in Francesca Cartier Brickell's behind-the-scenes account of the Cartier family. Part social history, part affectionate memoir, The Cartiers is a pleasurable stroll through the glittering byways of a more elegant age. -Amanda Foreman, New York Times bestselling author of A World on Fire Francesca Cartier Brickell skillfully traces her family's astounding history through the contents of a weathered suitcase found in her grandfather's cellar. The result is a fascinating account of the Cartier brothers and the creation of this iconic and enduring luxury brand. -Andre Leon Talley, bestselling author of A.L.T.: A Memoir

Author Information

A graduate in English literature from Oxford University,Francesca Cartier Brickellis a direct descendant of the Cartier family. Her great-great-great grandfather founded Cartier in 1847. Her late grandfather, Jean-Jacques Cartier, was the last of the family to manage and own a branch of the world-famous jewelry firm. Leaving behind a career in finance to focus on independently researching her family history, Francesca has spent over a decade travelling the world in search of the real story behind the Cartiers. She is an accredited GIA jewelry professional and lectures internationally and online on Cartier's illustrious history. She lives with her husband and children in London and the South of France.

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