Cartier's first incursion into watches was in 1904 when Louis designed a wrist watch for Alberto Santos Dumont, a dashing Brazilian aviator, which was incidentally the first wrist watch with a leather strap. In 1906 Cartier went on to design the world's first jeweled wristwatch. This barrel shaped design has since become a standard in luxury watch design and is used by many other watch manufacturers. In 1917 the Cartier introduced the 'Tank' wristwatch, a model which is today considered a classic, and is still regarded highly in current fashion circles. Louis Cartier designed the Tank watch as a tribute to the Allied tank commanders who assisted France during World War I. The design is a rugged yet beautiful watch inspired by the shape of the tanks themselves.

Cartier did not stop here. Its next big success story unfolded when it designed a water resistant watch for the Pasha of Marrakech in 1933. The watch with an attractive round case of solid gold became an instant hit.

Cartier watches are timeless classics. The credit for most of the innovative watch designs of this period goes to Louis Cartier. With Cartier's heritage in jewelry design, their watches often set the fashion rather than following them. Most of the contemporary Cartier collections are based upon Louis distinctive design classics such as the Santos, the Panther, the Bagnoire, the Pasha, the Tonneau, the Diabolo, and the Tank.

However, technically Cartier watches are not inferior. Cartier’s current models borrow heavily from their classic lines developed in earlier years, a testimony to the quality and longevity of their designs. Tank Francaise, which the company launched in 1996, is one of the contemporary models of horology and design mastery. This watch, which is available in three sizes, offers a variety of movements from quartz to automatic. The watch also has a calendar and an automatic time zone changing capability. The company may be more than 150 years old now but it has not lost its hunger for excellence. It makes watches that are both elegant and lavish, and can easily last a lifetime.