At Watches and Wonders, Cartier emphasises the importance of fair pricing for its customers

Every year, Cartier is closely scrutinized by collectors. They know that, for many years now, the brand’s value at auctions and on the CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) market has held steady despite economic uncertainties. In this regard, sales of historic watches from Cartier’s Crash collection consistently achieve the highest hammer prices for the brand—Christie’s reports that a 1967 Crash sold for $1.65 million in 2022, an all-time record for a Cartier watch.

Consequently, with every unveiling of new models, the Richemont Group brand is scrutinized for its highly curated selection of watchmaking icons—and thus for the technical and stylistic innovations it introduces, which will become the icons of tomorrow. And on this first day of Watches and Wonders 2026, Cartier unveiled new releases that will undoubtedly reinforce this trend, including the Cartier Privé anniversary collection.

On this first day of Watches and Wonders, Cartier hosted a roundtable discussion featuring Louis Ferla, CEO of Cartier since September 1, 2024, and Arnaud Carrez, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Cartier for the past seven years, to which several members of the international press, including Luxury Tribune, were invited.

What is your definition of desirability?

Louis Ferla. Cartier’s level of desirability is high and strong, in both jewelry and watchmaking. Today, market volatility tends to show that the iconic image of the house’s models reassures our clients. In this regard, we use specific barometers across four key areas to measure not only desirability but also the brand’s vitality. To this end, we are in constant contact with our customers.

Arnaud Carrez. To continue on this theme, what is essential for us is differentiation—what sets Cartier apart. Our guiding principle in watchmaking is to clearly position the brand as the watchmaker of forms.

Louis Ferla. The strength of the house lies in offering a very broad range of segments and positioning, from the Santos to the Tortue, from jewelry watches to artisanal models. Our aim is to demonstrate how and to what extent watchmaking and jewelry can interact and enrich each other. We designed our space at Watches and Wonders with this in mind.

What are your strengths with the younger generation?

Louis Ferla. Cartier’s clientele is getting younger, unlike me (laughs). The vintage trend is certainly very strong among the younger generation, as is the very wide selection of models that Cartier offers; in short, it provides many entry points for this generation to take an interest in Cartier. But our goal is also to attract this generation to work in and join the watchmaking trades. That is why we have been organizing a design competition exclusively for them for years now. We must preserve these skills, some of which require years of experience; it is our responsibility.