The Cartiers cover art

The Cartiers

The Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewelry Empire

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The Cartiers

By: Francesca Cartier Brickell
Narrated by: Hattie Morahan
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About this listen

“A dynamic group biography studded with design history and high-society dash . . . [This] elegantly wrought narrative bears the Cartier hallmark.”—The Economist

The “astounding” (André Leon Talley) story of the family behind the Cartier empire and the three brothers who turned their grandfather’s humble Parisian jewelry store into a global luxury icon—as told by a great-granddaughter with exclusive access to long-lost family archives

“Ms. Cartier Brickell has done her grandfather proud.”—The Wall Street Journal

The Cartiers is the revealing tale of a jewelry dynasty—four generations, from revolutionary France to the 1970s. At its heart are the three Cartier brothers whose motto was “Never copy, only create” and who made their family firm internationally famous in the early days of the twentieth century, thanks to their unique and complementary talents: Louis, the visionary designer who created the first men’s wristwatch to help an aviator friend tell the time without taking his hands off the controls of his flying machine; Pierre, the master dealmaker who bought the New York headquarters on Fifth Avenue for a double-stranded natural pearl necklace; and Jacques, the globe-trotting gemstone expert whose travels to India gave Cartier access to the world’s best rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, inspiring the celebrated Tutti Frutti jewelry.

Francesca Cartier Brickell, whose great-grandfather was the youngest of the brothers, has traveled the world researching her family’s history, tracking down those connected with her ancestors and discovering long-lost pieces of the puzzle along the way. Now she reveals never-before-told dramas, romances, intrigues, betrayals, and more.

The Cartiers also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the firm’s most iconic jewelry—the notoriously cursed Hope Diamond, the Romanov emeralds, the classic panther pieces—and the long line of stars from the worlds of fashion, film, and royalty who wore them, from Indian maharajas and Russian grand duchesses to Wallis Simpson, Coco Chanel, and Elizabeth Taylor.

Published in the two-hundredth anniversary year of the birth of the dynasty’s founder, Louis-François Cartier, this book is a magnificent, definitive, epic social history shown through the deeply personal lens of one legendary family.
Entertainment & Celebrities Europe France Celebrity Biography Latin American New York War Russia

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All stars
Most relevant
The story is beautifully read and a very interesting story. I would highly recommend to anyone that loves jewellery

I loved it!

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This is by far the best audible book I have ever listened to. So much so you didn’t want to put it on as you didn’t want it to end. Going through each generation at a time instead of jumping back and forth. (Other books take notice). From the start to finish BRILLIANT. And brilliant narration aswell.

The Cartiers

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Wow what a book!
An incredible depiction of the life and times of the Cartiers and their business, as a jeweller myself, it is hugely inspiring and as a fan of Cartier, there is nothing better than this book.

Incredible

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The notator of this book exceeds all expectations. The story like is gripping and the history of this world brand is phenomenal. It feels like you are being transported into the world and life of Cartier. It’s a beautifully written and told book.

Fabulous and powerful

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What an amazing book well done to the author and superb narration. Best book I’ve listened to so far

Powerful and fascinating

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