The Ultimate Guide To Cartier Watches For Women

Introduced to the Cartier collection of timepieces in 1957, the Baignoire De Cartier quickly became a favorite style among ultra-chic French women. With an elegant, elongated oval shape, the model draws its inspiration—and its name—from the bathtub, which is Baignoire in French. Over the years, the quintessentially fashionable model has joined the legion of Cartier watches women of all ages can’t help but champion, due to both its now-iconic status within the archives of the Maison and its unique, timelessly stylish shape.

The collection of Cartier watches women have undeniably favored above all is the Tank line. With a small, rectangular casing, a closely-fitted band, and a face featuring elegant Roman numerals, the Tank watch was designed by Louis Cartier in 1917 after drawing inspiration from the military tanks of World War I.

The Tank watch marks the first appearance of a rectangular watch face within the Maison’s archive and has since emerged as a style favored among the most fashionable women of every era. It became particularly famous after it was donned by Princess Diana following her divorce from Prince Charles, but has also been sported by Jackie Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor, Madonna, and most recently, Meghan Markle.

Among the newest designs to join the legion of Cartier watches women adore is the Ballon Bleu De Cartier. Unveiled in 2007, the Ballon De Bleu Cartier features a sculptural, polished round case with classic Roman numerals on the face and Cartier’s iconic sapphire-blue watch hands.

Infusing modern appeal with the Maison’s historic codes of design, the Ballon Bleu De Cartier quickly became one of the luxury label’s best-selling models and has since been reimagined numerous times with slightly altered watch faces, diamond-embedded casing, and unique bracelet designs.

As any longtime Cartier devotee knows, the panther has remained a legendary symbol within the Maison’s iconography since its first appearance in 1914, but the object that became its most famous likeness, the Panthère De Cartier Watch, was not introduced to the public until the ‘80s. Featuring a square case with rounded corners and elegant Roman numerals on the face, the Panthère De Cartier, typically in its mixed metal design, is among the most famous Cartier Watches women have come to love over the years.

With a smaller-scale face and a mesmerizing link bracelet, it’s no secret why the model has been favored by celebrities ranging from Madonna to Hailey Bieber.

Another timepiece that has emerged among Cartier watches women have adopted as a popular style is the Ronde De Cartier. Originally designed back in the 1930s by Louis Cartier, the large round face features classic Roman numerals and sapphire-blue watch hands. Available with both leather and metallic bands, the Ronde De Cartier has emerged as a timepiece that exudes effortless sophistication and glamour.

Named for the revolutionary Brazilian aviator and engineer, Alberto Santos-Dumont, this model has a special place in history as the Maison’s first true wristwatch. Developed in 1904 by Louis Cartier himself, the timepiece was created for the master jeweler’s friend, Santos-Dumont, who often traveled to Paris for work and research.

As a pioneer in the aviation space, Santos-Dumont required a timepiece that did not fall under the typical pocket watch category, as pulling a timepiece of that caliber out of one’s pocket midflight was simply inconvenient, if not slightly dangerous. After years of development, Cartier launched the Santos De Cartier watch—a flat, square-faced timepiece with a sturdy strap and visible screws.

Over the years, the design has been adapted to fit modern luxurious tastes, and today, some models feature diamonds embedded into the face of the watch, while others highlight unique bands. While it was originally conceived as a more masculine design, the Santos De Cartier has joined a collection of Cartier watches women of history have favored for its bold design and iconic look.

The Pasha De Cartier watch was first introduced to the Maison’s line in 1985, where it was initially marketed as a men’s timepiece. Women of the era quickly adopted the style, and in response, Cartier adapted the design ever so slightly for women, crafting new editions of the timepiece, and almost instantly creating a collection of Cartier watches women of multiple generations have come to love as a cult classic style. Powerful, bold, and instantly recognizable, the Pasha De Cartier has been worn by numerous style icons and celebrities over the years including Willow Smith and Maisie Williams.

Among the pieces within the Cartier watches women collection, the Crash timepiece is one of the most instantly recognizable. Thanks to its asymmetric, distorted appearance, the Crash watch quickly went down in the Maison’s history as one of the most iconic pieces. Although it can only be found through auctions, secondhand luxury retailers, or collectors these days, the Crash timepiece was a mainstay of the Maison after its first introduction in the late ‘60s.

As the story goes, a client brought in a Baignoire Cartier watch that had been damaged in a car accident, and the unique shape of the contorted watch served as a major inspiration to Jean-Jacques Cartier, who, according to Sotheby’s records and research, brought in artisan Rupert Emmerson. As a pair, they worked on transforming the distinct shape into a brand new design, eventually resulting in the Cartier Crash watch.

First released in 2001, the Cartier Roadster is among a newer wave of designs created by the Maison. Although it was only produced by the house for ten years, it remains an especially iconic design revered by longtime devotees of Cartier for its unique shape, detailing, and quintessential high quality. As the timepiece’s name implies, the design of the watch’s face was inspired by elements of an automobile’s dashboard, most apparently drawing from the speedometer. The silhouette is also car-inspired, seen in the sleek body of the timepiece, which over the years, has been compared to that of an aerodynamic sportscar.

As it is no longer produced by the Maison as a current design, the only way to add an authentic Cartier Roadster watch to your collection is to seek out a vintage model at an auction or a trustworthy secondhand luxury retailer.