This book is writer catnip: full of dazzling anecdotes, telling details, footnotes, character studies, and of course the glamor and messiness of a century of business in precious stones, metal, and money. I wish it was a little clearer on some of the timelines, but that comes with the territory of historical narrative. Completely engaging, highly recommend.

I really wanted to like this book since I'm trying to find non-fiction about things I thought I would like to read about. This was not the book for me and dnf.

Love this book. I love any type of historical fiction (although this was non-fiction), so this was something I was interested in. I liked learning the history of Cartier. It was fascinating.

Oh I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It is long but gripping and reads like fiction at times. I did not know much about the history of Cartier, and this is a fantastic account of their beginning through roughly current day and is told by a great-grand daughter with exclusive access to the family. I was so interested in the jewels and how they changed through the periods, from times of excess to times of depressions / recessions, and the ways that Cartier still made sure they were the name that people reached for first. I took my time with this one, and the audio is equally fantastic, but I highly recommend this one to those that want to learn more about this family as well as the periods of history that they served, which have been many.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the digital copy to review.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this. I will be posting a full review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

Loved this inside look into one of the most glamorous Jewelry families and the story behind the little red box - doesn't everyone know it's all about the red box and not the blue box!

This was a really interesting read. The author's connection to the characters of the story (she's a descendant of the titular Cartiers) definitely shown through, and I thought she did a great job of combining family history with outside sources. It was also a great peak into late 19th and 20th century Europe and New York City.

The Cartiers was one of my favorite books of 2019. Francesca Cartier Brickell does a wonderful job of marrying together the history of the jewelry firm with her own family stories, and in the process, she has produced a work unlike any other history I've read about the often secretive world of jewelry. Highly recommended!

Knowing nothing about the Catriers but being interested in history, I requested this one with the hopes of learning something new. I was very pleased by what I found! Each chapter is broken up into sections, which I thought was very useful, especially if you had to put the book down in the middle of one.

The story of the famous cartier jewelry empire from its founding 200 years ago to present day. I found the box well researched and written and highly recommend it.

Using the resources of first account interviews with family members as well as a trunk full of correspondence, author Francesca Cartier Brickell tells her family’s fascinating history.

Through multiple revolutions, world wars and economic downturns, the Cartier family business persevered. I found their resourcefulness completely fascinating. For example, during the Gilded Age, the family expanded their business to America to take advantage of the extravagances of the nouveau riche. During the Great Depression, they turned eastward as neither Russia nor India was affected by that economic downturn.

While the title implies new information, there are many sources of the history of the Cartier family business. These easily found sources are much shorter, but they don’t provide the depth of information about the family. Ms. Brickell’s account of her family history is well written, unbiased, and informative. This book is sure to appeal to jewelry lovers and history buffs alike.

This review can also be found at: https://abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com/2019/11/27/review-the-cartiers-the-untold-story-of-the-family-behind-the-jewelry-empire-by-francesca-cartier-brickell/

This was a marvelous history of the rise of luxury consumer goods and of commercial jewelry sales in France, England, and America. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Brickell blended the history of the business with the socio-political environment and history of the Cartier family themselves. The writing is engaging and entertaining as well as informative. For a long and detailed historical portrait, it read in a surprisingly easy fashion, offering up excellent snapshots of time and place the painted vivid pictures that leapt off the page. I found myself turning to Google for additional information on a lot of the people and jewels described, as my Kindle only offered black and white photos that were not very large. This was a great find and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The Cartier name conjures up all things elegant, luxurious, and unmatched quality. At the height of its glory, Cartier ruled supreme - a testament to its founder Louis Francois Cartier, his son Alfred, and Alfred’s three sons who carried on their grandfather and father’s passion for creativity, innovation, superb quality, and impeccable customer service catapulted their family name into a global one much sought after by the rich and famous across several generations. Following the establishment of the Cartier business in 1847, it flourished guided by Alfred and then his tight-knit family consisting of Louis’ three sons - Louis, Pierre, and Jacques with flagship stores in Paris, London and New York City. The story of the Cartiers is tracked against the backdrop of history - the 1848 European revolutions, travels to India, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), and the Far East seeking rare stones and conducting business with royalty, to Russia and their Romanov clients, through the two world wars, the Great Depression, British politics and coronations, and the rise of new money in the U.S. I enjoyed learning how the Cartiers were agile and flexible, leveraged challenges into opportunities, and kept pace with the changing times continuing to innovate and holding fast to “Never copy, only create” motto. This is a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the older generation Cartiers and their families, told through the eyes of the founder’s great, great, great granddaughter. This is an absorbing and meticulously researched book, amazingly well written, and flows well. Overall a really good read but be prepared to have the Cartiers as companions for a while as the book is a bit of a tome at more than 600 pages. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a fascinating look at the Cartiers who built a jewelry dynasty that spans France, England, America, and other places. I loved seeing how the dynasty started and what it takes to keep Cartiers relevant today.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I really enjoyed this history of the House of Cartier by Francesca Cartier Brickell.. As it turns out, it is about far more than just jewelry. The Cartiers were a fascinating family who lived through a lot. The book spans the years 1819-1974 and the three Cartier branches in Paris, London and New York. This period included so much tumult, the overthrow of several monarchies, multiple world wars and economic crises, so a lot of history is covered. This does result in a very long book! However, Brickell does a great job of keeping things interesting the whole way through. I learned a lot and would recommend "The Cartiers" to anyone who enjoys history and a long read.

A fascinating look at the founder and the family who built an iconic jewelry name by a descendent of the Cartier family. Ms. Brickell's personal knowledge of her family's business and her inside look at of some of the most important turning points for the business make this a must-read for those who love discovering the human side of history.. From the first store to the creation of some of the most renowned wristwatches, the humble early beginnings to their establishment as jewelers to the rich, famous and noble, Cartier continually developed innovation after innovation. Surviving World Wars, depressions, the diminishing of the wealthy class and changing tastes, the family always found a way to stay relevant and, of course, successful. Adventures exploring the sources of the world's finest gems and the drive and ambition of each of the family members make this a great read for anyone interested in the growth and development of one of the world's most important luxury goods empires..

This is a fascinating, comprehensive look into the lives of the renowned family behind Cartier jewelry. The author, Francesca Cartier Brickell, begins with the story of Louis-Francois Cartier, who was born into poverty in Paris but was secured an apprenticeship in the jewelry trade by his father, Pierre. In 1847, Louis-Francois was able to buy the jewelry workshop where he worked and ultimately passed the business on to his son, Alfred.
Brickell beautifully recounts how Alfred’s sons, Louis, Pierre, and Jacques, went on to shape Cartier jewelry into a truly iconic brand sought out by powerful, rich clients throughout the world. The Cartiers managed to keep their company running through rapidly changing times, surviving revolutions, huge economic downturns, and both world wars. The story continues through when the author’s own grandfather, Jean-Jacques Cartier, finally sold the last store in London in 1974.
I greatly enjoyed this book and appreciate the opportunity to review an advance copy from NetGalley. I love history and was curious about this topic, but those without such interests might find the wealth of information included in this book a bit overwhelming.

A history of the iconic Cartier jewelry store told by the great great granddaughter.There is so much history so much information a bout the family the jewelry.The rich and the famous who bought and still buy this fabulous jewelry.A very interesting reD.#netgalley#randomhousebooks.

I was given a free advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. The Cartier family brought jewelry making to a new level with their unique (and expensive) designs. From brooches to necklaces to watches, the name Cartier is synonymous with elegance, class and beauty. How it all began is an interesting story beginning with the first jewelry shop owner Louis-Joseph Cartier who was born in 1875. He started the ball rolling and passed it on to his son Alfred, but it was Alfred's three sons, Louis, Pierre and Jacques, who turned the business into an art form. Their powerful and rich clients including royalty from around the world. The fact that the Cartiers survived revolutions, two world wars, and a depression is a testament to the brothers' hard work ethic and ingenuity to change with the times. Unfortunately, they did not pass these trairs down to all of their children and the three company stores were sold one by one to outsiders. The last hold out was the London store, which was run by Jean-Jacques, who tried his best, but he finally sold out in 1974. The Cartier story is beautifully told by Francesca Cartier Brickell--Jean-Jacques' granddaughter, but as a family member, she avoids the dirty laundry, which is understandable. It would be interesting to read a book about the family written by an objective biographer. My only other complaint was the pictures. When speaking of specific items (i.e., the Wilding boxes), it would have been nice to see a picture of what they looked like. I found myself stopping to look up several of the jewelry pieces and items online so I could see them. They were always breathtaking. The Cartier's legacy will last in the fabulous pieces they created and their unique story will not disappoint.

3.5 stars out of 5

Cut to the Chase
Francesca brings us along with her into the journey of how Cartier, a small family jewelry business transforms into what it is today-an extremely admired jewelry firm over the globe. She brings us through each generation, from Louis Francois Carter to Jean Jacques Cartier, her own grandfather. Through all of these generations, she emphasizes the importance of uniqueness, forward thinking, family, and hard work that Cartier truly represents. The work is textbook-like in its dedication to detail, and can be a bit overwhelming for those less interested in jewelry.


Longer Version
The short introduction on why Francesca Cartier Bickell wrote the book was quite touching. Francesca’s grandfather -- Jean Jacques Cartier -- was the last Cartier to run their once empire. Francesca worried the facts and legends surrounding her family business would be forgotten, and wanted to explain how their once-small, family business had grown into the worldwide renowned brand. Francesca visited Jean Jacques weekly, interviewing and transcribing her grandfather’s stories in meticulous detail.

Though thoroughly enjoyable and educational, this book is not for everyone. If you’ve no interest or prior curiosity about the Cartiers, you’ll likely have trouble getting through the family history. However, you’ll be fascinated by Louis Francois Cartier (the founder of Cartier), who was born into a poor family, was never given much education, and then sent off to apprentice as a jewelry maker (because at the time, it was considered a booming industry, with the Renaissance as its backdrop).

Louis learned every aspect of the jewelry industry: from the art of jewelry making and sketching designs to creating successful business models. When his boss moves away, Louis purchases the business, renames it Cartier, and spends the next 15 years paying off this debt.

Several chapters detail family details--that Louis married Antoinette Guermonprez and had a son (Alfred Cartier) and daughter (Camille Adrienne Cartier). Unlike their father, Alfred and Camille had education and financial stability. This does, however, come with a price: Alfred is married off to Alice Griffeuille for the benefit of the company.

As Alfred’s family expands (Louis Joseph Cartier, Pierre Camille Cartier, Jacques Theodule Cartier, and Suzanne Cartier), his wife Alice struggles to care for their children while Alfred devotes himself to the family business. The three sons each vow to take over the company, hoping to make Cartier a household name. Though Alice continues to suffer and is eventually hospitalized, all three of the sons are soon part of the family business.

Francesca makes it clear that Cartier is what it is today is because of this generation.

It’s this generation that sets up stores in New York and London, while sending ambassadors to “exotic” countries like India and Russia. Louis was a mastermind at creative, innovative, forward thinking, and modern designs, creating Indian inspired pieces, inventing watches for men, and even designed the still-admired Trinity Collection. Pierre was the talented manager and salesman in America. And Jacques was manager of the London headquarters and acted as the main ambassador for most India business trips, trading jewelry with Indian empresses and kings while purchasing some of the world’s largest pearls.

It’s a lot of detail, and those who are less interested in jewelry may find it a bit too dense. The families personal travails are nicely juxtaposed against World War I and the Great Depression, and it’s a nice read, but again, not for people who aren’t already curious about the Cartier empire.




Comparison to Other Authors
Short stories in this book reminded me how ubiquitous Cartier’s footprint is. The “cursed” jewel in All the Light We Cannot See seems based on the Hope Diamond. Francesca’s writing style felt similar to how Rebecca Skloot narrated The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. The pace is methodical, but at times, a bit slow.