Artistic crafts

ARTISTIC CRAFTS

By integrating a glyptics workshop into its High Jewellery workshops and creating the Maison des Métiers d'Art in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Cartier is demonstrating its commitment to preserving, transmitting and developing these age-old, endangered and timelessly precious techniques.

MAISON DES MÉTIERS D’ART

Preserve, innovate and share: Cartier is committed to promoting and passing on artistic craftsmanship. The Maison des Métiers d'Art was created in 2014 to achieve this aim. A melting pot where talents meet, interact and surpass one another, this project stems from Cartier's strong vision, which underscores its respect for tradition and determination to harness the power of these artistic crafts in a continuous quest for innovation.

GLYPTICS

Glyptics is the art of engraving and sculpting hard, precious or fine stones. Cartier is one of the few great jewellers who undertake this Métier d’Art in-house. Integrated into the Maison in 2010, the workshop is now led by Émilie Marques, one of Maître d'Art Philippe Nicolas’ students, who now passes on her expertise to her apprentices.

WATCHMAKING

Three major families of expertise are applied to watchmaking: the art of fire, the art of metalwork and the art of composition. The art of fire encompasses enamel and its variations: cloisonné, champlevé, plique-à-jour and grisaille. The art of metalwork refers to granulation and filigree, a technique introduced to the Maison des Métiers d'Art in 2015 with a work composed of fine gold and platinum threads that required the creation of specific tools. Finally, marquetry - the art of composition - uses wood, straw, gold leaf and even flower petals to create dials.