Richemont is a Swiss luxury goods company was founded in 1988 by a South African billionaire businessman, Anton Rupert. It has four main business areas: jewellery, watches, writing instruments and clothing. The company is listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange. It is the eighth biggest company in the SMI, Swiss Market Index. As of 2004, it is the second-largest luxury goods company in the world by turnover; behind LVMH and just ahead of PPR.
The companies owned by the group includes :
Cartier SA - jewellery, watches, etc. French company, watches Swiss made
The company Cartier was founded in Paris in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier. In 1874 Louis-Francois' son, Alfred Cartier, took over the running of the company, but it was his sons, Louis, Pierre and Jacques, who were responsible for establishing the famous world-wide brand name of Cartier.
Van Cleef & Arpels - jewellery, watches, etc.
One of the most stylish jewellery dealers of the 20th Century. Its origins in 1906 lay in the hands of Alfred Van Cleef and the brothers Charles and Julien Arpels. At the beginning of the 1900s The Place Vendôme was the centre of fashion and luxury in Paris. They occupied their first shop here at number 22, where they have premises today.
Piaget - jewellery, watches
Vacheron Constantin - watches, Swiss made
Vacheron Constantin is one of the world's oldest watch manufacturers, dating from 1755, when Jean-Marc Vacheron established himself in Geneva as a watchmaker.
A. Lange & Söhne - watches, made in Saxony
A. Lange & Söhne is a German watchmaking company founded in 1845 by Ferdinand Adolph Lange in the little town of Glashütte, near Dresden in the state of Saxony.
Jaeger-LeCoultre - watches, Swiss made
The Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre was born in 1833 when Antoine LeCoultre opened a small workshop in the Swiss town of Le Sentier.
Officine Panerai - watches, Swiss made, Italian heritage
Officine Panerai is a luxury Italian watch brand. It was founded as in 1860 in Florence by Giovanni Panerai (1825-1897). It later became the official supplier to the Royal Italian Navy and expanded to building precision instruments
International Watch Co - watches, Swiss made, American-founded
also known as IWC, is a watch manufacturer based in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.
Located in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, IWC Schaffhausen is notable for
being the only major Swiss watch factory located in eastern Switzerland,
as the majority of the well-known Swiss watch manufacturers are located
in western Switzerland.
Baume et Mercier - watches
Swiss watchmaking company founded in 1830.
Montblanc - German Founded by a Hamburg stationer in 1906, the
company began as the Simplo Filler Pen company in 1908, then adopted
the Montblanc trademark in 1911.pen manufacturer
Lancel
Montegrappa - Italian pen manufacturer
Montegrappa is the oldest Italian manufacturer of fine writing instruments, founded as "Manifattura pennini d'oro e penne stilografiche" ("Maker of gold nibs and fountain pens") in 1912. Their products are still manufactured in their original factory by the shores of the river Brenta, in one of the most charming parts of Bassano del Grappa - near Vicenza, in the North-East of Italy.
Cartier
The company Cartier was founded in Paris in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier. In 1874 Louis-Francois' son, Alfred Cartier, took the running of the company, but it was his sons, Louis, Pierre and Jacques, that were responsible for establishing the famous world-wide brand name of Cartier. Louis retained responsibility for the Paris branch, moving to Rue de la Paix, in 1899. He instigated the company's most celebrated design innovations, like the legendary mystery clocks, high fashion wristwatches, exotic orientalist Art Deco designs including daringly colourful "Tutti Frutti" jewels. Jacques took charge of the London operation and eventually moved to the current location at New Bond Street. Pierre Cartier established the New York Branch in 1909, moving in 1917 to the current location of 653 Fifth Avenue, the Neo Renaissance mansion of banker Morton Plant. Among the Cartier team was Charles Jacqueau, who joined Louis Cartier in 1909 for his entire life, and Jeanne Toussaint, who was Director of Fine Jewelry from 1933 on. After the death of Pierre in 1964, Jean-Jacques Cartier (Jacques's son), Claude Cartier (Louis's son), and Marionne Claudelle (Pierre's daughter), who headed the Cartier affiliates in London, New York and Paris - sold the businesses. In 1972 a group of investors led by Joseph Kanoui bought Cartier Paris, whose President became Robert Hocq, the creator of the concept of "Les Must de Cartier" in collaboration with Alain Dominique Perrin, General Director of "Les Must de Cartier." In 1974 and 1976 respectively, Cartier London and Cartier New York were bought back. In 1979 the Cartier interests were combined together, creating "Cartier Monde" uniting and controlling Cartier Paris, London and New York.
A pen which is said to be the most expensive in the world went on sale at the infamous Bluewater shopping centre in 2003. Encrusted with platinum, diamond and lead crystals, the Peace Pen from Montegrappa is priced at £1m. The pen, one of only two made, will be on sale at Webster's shop in the Kent shopping centre.
In 2003 Plaid Cymru proposed a tax on people who buy luxury items like sports cars and Gucci designer clothes so that they should pay almost double the rate of VAT.
The Money Programme a flagship BBC show once did a documentary called Get Cartier!, a pun on the famous USA sixties spy comedy show Get Carter. The show looked at the increasing pressure in the luxury watch business.
The most prestigious date in the polo calendar according to the BBC is Cartier International Day
Cartier Awards are an award for the best Horse of the Year. In 2005 the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Hurricane Run was named Horse of the Year at the 15th Cartier Awards.
In 2002 Metz appointed Gilbert Gress as coach in succession to famous French coach Albert Cartier.
In British comedy my family a fake Cartier watch causes confusion. When Ben's wife discovers a fake watch given to him by an employee, and thinks it must be a real watch for her he has hidden.
Famous England football star Beckham presented hsi wife with a $36,000 (GBP20,000) Cartier anniversary ring.
Montréal was discovered in 1535 by Jacques Cartier.
Cartir, Afghanistan is an airport that can be found on the internet.
Richmond Park is one of the best places in Britain to watch Red Deer.
Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef came to prominence in the European features of Sergio Leone
birthplace of Australian PMs
birthplace of Canadian PMs
birthplace of Irish PMs
birthplace of European Union presidents
Birthplaces of Welsh First ministers and other Welsh politcal leaders
Birthplaces of Scottish First ministers, and other Scottish leaders
Every election UK general election result from 1900
Lonympics Links
Other Lonympics sites
Worst regiemes of the 20th century
wall A web page looking at famous wall structures such as the great wall of china
gates A web page looking at famous gate structures such as the Brandenburg gate
solar system record breakers Record breaking facts about each planet of the solar system
weather A website looking at climate and NWP prediction computer models.
Supercomputer A look at the development of supercomputer technology
River A web page looking at the main rivers of the planet.
Bank history History of banks