Cartier products: reviews and comparisons

Every Cartier piece we checked

Cartier Tank Louis Cartier (dress watches, $11,500–$14,000): buy. Gold rectangular Tank on leather.

Cartier Tank Must (dress watches, $3,200–$3,800): buy. Steel Tank Must.

Cartier Santos de Cartier Medium (dress watches, $8,000–$8,600): buy. Steel Santos with QuickSwitch.

Cartier Ballon Bleu 40 (dress watches, $6,500–$7,500): buy. Steel Ballon Bleu.

Cartier Santos de Cartier Large (dress watches, $8,500–$9,300): buy. Large Santos.

Cartier Tank Normale (dress watches, $12,000–$16,000): buy. Privé Tank Normale.

Cartier Tank Américaine (dress watches, $7,500–$12,000): buy. Elongated curved Tank.

Cartier Santos-Dumont Large (dress watches, $5,500–$9,500): buy. Thin Santos-Dumont.

Cartier Tank Louis Cartier Large (dress watches, $12,500–$15,000): buy. Large Tank Louis.

Cartier Crash Pre-Owned (dress watches, $120,000–$200,000): consider. Melted Crash.

Cartier Tank Louis Cartier Platinum (dress watches, $20,000–$25,000): consider. Platinum Privé Tank.

Cartier Love Bracelet (fine jewelry bracelets, $7,500–$8,800): buy. Screw-motif 18k gold bangle fitted with a screwdriver.

Cartier Juste un Clou Bracelet (fine jewelry bracelets, $7,900–$9,500): buy. Nail-shaped 18k gold bangle.

Cartier Love Bracelet Four Diamonds (fine jewelry bracelets, $12,500–$14,500): buy. Love bangle set with four brilliants.

Cartier Clash de Cartier Bracelet (fine jewelry bracelets, $9,000–$12,000): buy. Clous carrés and pyramids.

Cartier Love Bracelet White Gold (fine jewelry bracelets, $7,500–$8,800): buy. White gold Love.

Cartier Love Bracelet Small Model (fine jewelry bracelets, $4,500–$5,200): buy. Small Love.

Cartier Love Bracelet Pavé Diamonds (fine jewelry bracelets, $60,000–$75,000): consider. Fully paved Love bangle.

Cartier Juste un Clou Diamonds (fine jewelry bracelets, $16,000–$19,000): consider. Juste un Clou with diamond head and tip.

Cartier Panthère Bracelet (fine jewelry bracelets, $40,000–$70,000): consider. Panther head bangle.

Cartier Love Earrings (fine jewelry earrings, $2,000–$3,500): buy. Small hoops.

Cartier Clash de Cartier Earrings (fine jewelry earrings, $4,500–$7,000): consider. Stud motif earrings.

Cartier Love Earrings Diamond Pavé (fine jewelry earrings, $7,000–$10,000): consider. Pavé Love hoops.

Cartier Juste un Clou Earrings (fine jewelry earrings, $3,500–$5,000): consider. Juste un Clou studs.

Cartier Love Necklace (fine jewelry necklaces, $2,500–$4,500): buy. Love pendant necklace.

Cartier Juste un Clou Necklace (fine jewelry necklaces, $3,500–$5,500): buy. Nail necklace.

Cartier Love Necklace Diamonds (fine jewelry necklaces, $5,000–$9,000): buy. Love necklace with diamonds.

Cartier Panthère Necklace (fine jewelry necklaces, $25,000–$60,000): consider. Panther pendant.

Cartier Trinity Ring (fine jewelry rings, $2,000–$3,200): buy. Three interlaced bands.

Cartier Love Ring (fine jewelry rings, $2,000–$3,500): buy. Screw-motif band.

Cartier Solitaire 1895 (fine jewelry rings, $9,000–$50,000): buy. Classic solitaire.

Cartier Love Wedding Band Diamonds (fine jewelry rings, $3,500–$6,500): buy. Love band with diamonds.

Cartier Trinity Diamond Ring (fine jewelry rings, $5,500–$9,500): buy. Trinity with pavé.

Cartier Trinity Ring Large (fine jewelry rings, $4,500–$6,000): buy. Large Trinity.

Cartier Panthère Ring (fine jewelry rings, $8,000–$20,000): consider. Panther ring.

Cartier Santos Dual Time (GMT and pilot watches, $9,500–$10,500): consider. Dual time Santos.

Cartier Santos Chronograph (luxury chronographs, $10,000–$11,500): consider. Santos chronograph.

Cartier Santos Cufflinks (men’s bracelets and cufflinks, $1,500–$2,500): buy. Santos screw cufflinks.

Cartier Love Bracelet Men (men’s bracelets and cufflinks, $7,500–$8,800): buy. Love bracelet.

Cartier Santos Gold Cufflinks (men’s bracelets and cufflinks, $4,500–$6,500): buy. Gold Santos cufflinks.

Cartier Trinity Cufflinks (men’s bracelets and cufflinks, $3,500–$5,000): buy. Three-gold cufflinks.

Cartier Juste un Clou Ring Men (men’s bracelets and cufflinks, $2,400–$3,500): consider. Nail ring.

Cartier Santos Sunglasses (men’s designer sunglasses, $1,200–$1,800): buy. Metal aviator with screws.

Cartier Santos de Cartier Gold Sunglasses (men’s designer sunglasses, $1,800–$2,600): consider. Gold-finish Santos.

Cartier C Décor Wood Sunglasses (men’s designer sunglasses, $1,500–$2,200): consider. Wood-temple frames.

Cartier Panthère de Cartier Small (women’s luxury watches, $4,800–$5,600): buy. Supple steel bracelet watch.

Cartier Tank Française (women’s luxury watches, $4,500–$5,500): buy. Tank on integrated bracelet.

Cartier Baignoire (women’s luxury watches, $6,000–$9,000): buy. Oval Baignoire.

Cartier Tank Must Large (women’s luxury watches, $3,500–$4,000): buy. Tank Must large.

Cartier Ballon Bleu 33 (women’s luxury watches, $5,900–$7,000): buy. Ballon Bleu 33.

Cartier Baignoire Gold (women’s luxury watches, $12,000–$18,000): buy. Gold Baignoire.

Cartier Panthère Two-Tone Medium (women’s luxury watches, $9,000–$11,000): buy. Steel and gold.

Cartier Panthère de Cartier Gold (women’s luxury watches, $22,000–$30,000): consider. Gold bracelet watch.

Cartier Tank Française Gold (women’s luxury watches, $18,000–$25,000): consider. Gold Française.

Cartier Panthère Sunglasses (women’s designer sunglasses, $1,000–$1,500): buy. Metal frame with panther.

Cartier Panthère Gold Sunglasses (women’s designer sunglasses, $1,800–$2,500): consider. Gold-finish Panthère.

Cartier or another house?

Buy the piece, not the logo. Compare Cartier luxury chronographs with the alternatives in our best luxury chronographs list before you decide.

Authenticity, warranty and service

Buy from the fashion house, an authorized retailer or a reseller that authenticates and guarantees every piece, and keep the receipt, the dust bag, the box and any warranty card: they matter for repairs and for resale. Swiss watches carry a 2- to 5-year international warranty when bought from an authorized dealer, and buyers in the EU and UK also have a legal guarantee of at least two years on new goods.

How we make the call: we read the house’s own product details and care guides, compare materials and construction, follow owners’ long-term experience and track the usual retail and resale prices. A piece gets “Buy” only if we would tell a friend to spend that money on it. No fashion house can pay for a verdict.