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How to Pick a Woman's Cartier Watch

Are you considering Cartier watches for women, either for yourself or for that special someone? Congratulations. Cartier develops genuinely iconic timepieces - watches that stand virtually alone as the most renowned, luxurious, and beautiful.

It was Louis Cartier's lifelong quest to produce watches that were the "perfect balance between aesthetics, structure, and function," and while he passed away in 1942, each of today's lines of Cartier watches for ladies still epitomize that mission.

What to Choose - Models & Pricing

As you can imagine, the query of what to buy has no single answer. It's a decision best left to the buyer determined by preferences of shape, style, price, as well as other factors. What follows is a helpful synopsis of some of Cartier's more common styles.

Roadster: The Roadster collection launched back in 2001 as a throwback to the sports cars of the 1950s and 1960s. It has a racy appearance with clean curves, much as you would see on a classy automobile. The Roadster's form is much like the classic Tortue line, though overall is generally less pricey.

Tortue: The Cartier Tortue was initially envisioned as a woman's watch. In fact, the first mens Tortue came out in 1928, about 15 years after the Tortue was first launched. This line is stunningly curvaceous and is a legendary shape that is exceedingly prized by collectors. The typical five figure price is indicative of this.

Tank: Cartier's Tank watch first launched back in 1917, and remains popular today - it is another of Cartier's timeless lines. Simple but elegant, Tank has a rectangular face but includes several "sub-styles" including Americaine, Francaise, Divan, Solo among others. Each model varies by shape of the rectangle, ranging from tall… to wide… to nearly square. Prices vary significantly among Tank watches as well.

Tankissime: While certainly related to Tank's iconic shape and style, Tankissime is in a category of its own. It is an extraordinarily elegant watch with a sleek silver or gold band perchance better called a bracelet. The band is sometimes accentuated with diamonds making it one of Cartier's most beautiful and prestigious timepieces. The Tankissime typically carries a five figure price tag which makes it among the most expensive out there.

Pasha: Pasha is among Cartier's oldest lines, but offers a wide choice of designs (and prices) more than able to serve modern tastes as well. It was originally designed as a swimming watch with its sleek, circular design that is inherently sturdy and water-resistant. As opposed to various other lines the Pasha face has numbers, as opposed to roman numerals.

Santos: Santos epitomizes the timelessness of the brand with a style as modern now as it was over a 100 years ago when launched in 1904. The face exemplifies fine geometric form with its famous square inside a rectangle style. Rounded edges give the timepiece an air of energy and flow.

Where to Buy - Storefront or Online Dealer?

When you're choosing an expensive watch, regardless of whether it's a Cartier or Rolex or some other prestigious brand, the single most important thing is to deal with someone you believe in. Not just to stay away from replicas and fakes, but for several other reasons as well.

For one thing, you definitely want to be sure you'rereceiving the full manufacturer's warranty as well as any authenticity certificates that come with it.

It's also important to understand what options you have in case you decide you want to return it… especially if it's a gift. It's hard to imagine a lady who wouldn't be thrilled with receiving a Cartier, but with such a wide selection of models she may not want to settle for anything less than her favorite one.

Also, in the rare event of a defect, it really helps to deal with a seller you trust.

In short... be certain you've explored the policies of any retailer you're looking into, and be sure you are comfortable with them.

There are actually a good number of large online suppliers that are familiar with these concerns and have guidelines to make sure that their clients are assured and happy, prior to and after they buy. While traditional stores vary, your nearby high-end jeweler is probably as committed to your confidence and satisfaction.

Naturally, price is another factor. I've found that while it's helpful to be able to look at a timepiece at a retail store, buying over the web is oftentimes a surefire way to get the best price. Thankfully, many of these web stores also have great reputations, client-focused policies, and excellent prices.

They make it simple to look through collections of Cartier watches women (like the ones above), or men, while guaranteeing you'll be purchasing an genuine, satisfaction guaranteed timepiece.