Cartier’s affinity with China can be traced back to the early 20th century, when its founder Louis‑François Cartier and its then‑creative director Jeanne Toussaint became fascinated with Chinese culture and heritage, and were drawn to various books, ceramics, fabrics and more. This sparked the influence of Chinese art and decorative techniques in the French brand’s designs around the 1920s, as evidenced in the use of mythical dragon and phoenix motifs as well as traditional Chinese materials such as jade, coral and mother‑of‑pearl; gems shaped to replicate buttons on Chinese garments; and colour combinations typically found in Chinese culture.
In 1914, Aisin‑Gioro Tsai Lun, a descendant of Emperor Qianlong, became Cartier’s first recorded Chinese customer when he purchased a watch from the brand. And this dialogue between Cartier and China has continued through the decades, with the maison having
