Cartier Panthère

The watches in the Cartier Panthère collection share their beauty and grace with their namesake. The manufacturer crafts these timepieces using only the finest materials, including gold and diamonds. Top models are completely encrusted in sparkling gems and demand upward of 110,000 USD. However, you'll also find relatively affordable stainless steel editions with four-figure price tags.

The first Panthère watch made its debut in 1914. It attracted much attention with its precious stones set to mimic the pattern of panther fur. Furthermore, it had a round case that framed a square dial with Roman numerals. Jeanne Toussaint, the company's creative director and confidant of Louis Cartier, later introduced the panther as a motif across Cartier's catalog. La Panthère, as Toussaint was fondly called by Cartier, created numerous jewelry collections inspired by this sleek predator, including bracelets, brooches, and necklaces. The panther would go on to become a coveted design theme and, ultimately, adopted as the company logo.

Cartier relaunched the Panthère collection in the early 1980s. The watch manufacturer took these models in a more modern direction, equipping each watch with a highly precise quartz movement. Newer Panthère timepieces resemble the Cartier Santos, one of the first pilot's watches ever created, due to their similar square shape. The Panthère quickly developed into one of Cartier's most popular lines.

In spring 2023, the Maison unveiled two new Panthère editions, one in yellow gold and the other in rose gold. Both timepieces feature a black lacquered dial trapped in the jaws of a panther with emerald eyes.

Prices for a Cartier Panthère range from under 1,300 USD for a pre-owned stainless steel watch to well over 100,000 USD for an ornate, diamond-set timepiece in gold. The ref. HPI01096 is a particularly opulent Panthère that features 660 brilliant-cut diamonds with a total weight of 6.48 carats. It also has a blue sapphire atop its crown. Black enamel speckles decorate the watch and mimic the feline's coat, while tempered blue hour and minute hands display the time on the dial. The case measures 37 × 27 × 6 mm and houses a precise quartz movement.

The ref. WSPN0007 has a 37 x 27-mm case, tempered blue hands, and Roman numerals as hour markers. The crown is embellished with a synthetic blue spinel. Cartier pairs this timepiece with a five-piece link stainless steel bracelet. You can purchase this model for about 4,200 USD used and 5,400 USD new.

If you'd prefer a stainless steel watch with diamonds, you should take a closer look at the ref. W4PN0007. This women's watch measures 30 × 22 mm and has 36 diamonds weighing a total of 0.24 carats on its bezel. Never-worn versions change hands for around 8,600 USD, while pre-owned pieces demand roughly 6,700 USD.

Fans of the 1980s should enjoy the two-tone Panthère watches in stainless steel and gold. A mint-condition timepiece without diamonds will set you back about 8,200 USD. The same watch costs approximately 6,300 USD used. Models that combine stainless steel, 18-karat rose gold, and a diamond bezel require an investment of no less than 12,000 USD. Pre-owned examples come in closer to 9,600 USD.

Cartier's Panthère collection contains numerous gold watches. There's the especially classic ref. WGPN0008 in 18-karat yellow gold. Its case is 30 × 22 mm and mounted on a matching gold bracelet. A sapphire cabochon on the crown completes the look. This reference costs roughly 21,000 USD new, though you can save a few thousand dollars by choosing a pre-owned timepiece. The larger version, ref. WJPN0016, measures 37 × 27 mm and features diamonds on its bezel. You can call this model your own for about 30,000 USD never-worn and 25,500 USD pre-owned.

White gold watches are as luxurious as they are understated. This includes the ref. WJPN0019 with 99 diamonds on its case and bezel. Altogether, the gems weigh a total of 0.42 carats. This women's watch has a 25 × 21-mm case and costs around 29,000 USD new, though you can save yourself around 4,000 USD by buying a pre-owned copy instead. The ref. WJPN0011 is much more expensive. This elegant timepiece comes on a triple coil white gold bracelet and sparkles with 99 brilliant-cut diamonds on its case and bezel. You can buy this Cartier dress watch on Chrono24 for around 45,000 USD new. It is difficult to find pre-owned versions on the secondary market.

The ref. HPI01130 also occupies the upper end of the Panthère price range. Its case measures 37 × 27 mm, and while its bracelet may only have a single coil, it is entirely covered in diamonds. Together with the case, this timepiece features an astonishing 415 diamonds weighing a total of 7.8 carats. All this luxury comes at a cost, namely more than 100,000 USD.

Those who prefer the soft warmth of rose gold will also find several options in the Panthère collection. One example is the ref. WGPN0006. It has a 30 x 22-mm case and does without diamonds. You can purchase this timepiece for about 21,000 USD new and roughly 16,500 USD used. There's also the ref. WJPN0009 with a diamond-studded bezel. This model sells for roughly 29,000 USD in mint condition. Again, pre-owned examples are relatively more affordable at around 23,500 USD.

Rêves de Panthères With an Automatic Movement

The opulent Rêves de Panthères watch would be worth mentioning for its design alone. However, it's what's on the inside that makes this model truly unique: This timepiece is powered by an automatic in-house caliber, the 9916. This movement provides the Rêves de Panthères with a day/night display, and you can even watch it at work through the sapphire crystal case back.

The Rêves de Panthères' round, 42.75-mm case in 18-karat white gold is another anomaly in a collection of square timepieces. Cartier finishes the case with 315 brilliant-cut diamonds with a total weight of 5.73 carats. A further 279 diamonds weighing 0.99 carats adorn the white gold dial. The dial also features three embossed white gold panthers with their backs turned to the observer.

A blue alligator leather strap holds the timepiece securely on the wrist. It comes with an 18-karat white gold double folding clasp embellished with 43 diamonds weighing a combined 0.42 carats. This extraordinary masterpiece has a list price of 342,000 EUR (approx. 373,000 USD).

Since its foundation in 1847, Cartier's sense of style and high-quality craftsmanship have found many fans in the world's royal families. Gem-encrusted Cartier diadems, brooches, and rings remain popular among the nobility to this day. Cartier's customers have included Queen Victoria Eugénie of Spain, Queen Elizabeth of Belgium, and Queen Elizabeth II of England.

The panther motif also appealed to Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor. In 1948, the Duchess purchased a panther brooch. Just a year later, she bought another featuring a panther lying on a 152-carat sapphire cabochon. Her collection also contained a flexible bracelet in the shape of a panther.