Cartier is a name that is familiar to any watch collector worth his salt. Their luxurious timepieces are some of the most sought-after on the market.
Their timeless design, class-defining look, and unparalleled pedigree as a luxury brand are hard to match. It’s no wonder the brand attracts so much attention from aficionados and enthusiasts.
But not every enthusiast has pockets deep enough to fork out the 35,000 dollars necessary to bag a Ronde Luis, which raises the question of what options you have.
What do you do if you’ve got your heart set on that exquisite Cartier watch for yourself or your loved one but don’t have the ready cash to make such a hefty purchase?
There must be financing options available for such opulent items, right?
Well, not many find the option on Cartier’s official website … and that’s precisely the problem we intend to help you tackle here.
The Cartier Brand:
The brand was founded by Louis-Francois Cartier, who learned the craft of jewelry making from his master Adolphe Picard and later inherited his workshop in 1847.
Since then, with the aid of his sons, Louis, Pierre, and Jaques, he succeeded in growing the brand and moving the shop to the Rue de la Paix – Paris’s fashion district – in 1899.
The brand has been graced by the patronage of Princess Mathilde, the niece of Napoleon III, as well as several prominent figures, both historic and modern.
From King Edward VI to Tsar Nicolas II and from Gloria Swanson to Richard Burton. The brand enjoys a clientele as eclectic and exquisite as its products.
However, Cartier’s first watch ever made was not just for show. The famous Brazilian Aeronaut, Mr. Alberto Santos-Dumont, was responsible for Cartier’s entry into the watchmaking market.
The simple complaint about the impracticality of carrying a pocket watch was what spurred Louis-Francois to design the “Santos”, a square bezzled wrist watch worthy of a true high-flier.
Since then, the brand has grown to establish itself as a true contender in the luxury watch market. It continues to carry its heritage and craft forward into its products to this very day.
Does Cartier Offer Financing?
Well, Cartier, the brand itself, doesn’t. The brand has always had a very affluent clientele and, as such, is comfortable demanding full payment for their timeless pieces of art.
All it takes is a quick look at their FAQ page to surmise that they expect their customer to pay the full price of their pieces upfront.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you’re entirely out of luck. While Cartier themselves don’t allow their customers to finance their watches, there are still some excellent options out there for those looking to be the proud owners of a Cartier without having to empty their bank account on the purchase.
So What Options Are Out There?
As we said, Cartier doesn’t offer to finance, nor does it partner with any third-party financing firm. This means that getting a brand-new watch directly from Cartier is not possible.
Now, the only options are either resellers or large online jewelry stores.
Some online stores also offer deferred payment options at low markups. Most of these, however, cater only to particular countries or regions. If you’re somewhere else, it might be worth venturing a quick search for a suitable store in your region.
Two good options that seem to have the confidence of many buyers are the financing app “Zip” and a Swiss reseller Watchdreamer. If you are located in the United States, Crown and Caliber is a great option to try.
Let’s explore these options one by one;
Zip.co (Formerly Quadpay):
Zip.co offers a wide range of products with a reasonably simple payment model – and they have a wide variety of Cartier watches available.
Here’s how it works: You select the product, and you can pay one-fourth of the price upfront and then the rest in three more installments. This allows you to split the price into four manageable chunks.
The first payment is made when you check out, the second two weeks later, the third one is due after four weeks, and the last payment comes in the 6th week.
The advantage is there is no markup or other charges. The payments are debited from your linked Credit or Debit Card in four chunks, just as promised.
The disadvantage is the time limit. You absolutely have to pay the full price in 6 weeks. There’s no way to get financing for a more extended period.
Watchdreamer:
Unlike Zip, which provides all sorts of products, Watchdreamer is focused entirely on providing luxury watches at affordable installments. Hence Cartier watches make it to the top of their products.
The site offers a wide array of watches at a “0%” markup and can finance your next Cartier timepiece for you with deferred payments up to 3 years.
The advantages here are that the main focus is entirely on luxury watches, so the selection offered is extensive. Also, you can make the payments over three years, which means the installments would be easily manageable.
The disadvantage is that the financing will classify as a “loan” and reflect on your credit history, which means you’ll need to be cautious about what you buy.
Crown and Caliber:
Another good option to get your hands on a Cartier watch without having to pay it all up-front is Crown and Caliber.
This reseller has a good collection of Cartier watches in its store and even tells you upfront what the condition of the watch is and whether it comes with the original box and papers. While the store itself doesn’t handle the financing, it does so through another online financing platform named “Affirm”.
The advantage of the Crown and Caliber-Affirm option is that the financing options are broader than any other we have discussed so far.
Affirm offers the 4-way split payments like those provided by Zip and also offers low-interest monthly installments, allowing you to choose the option that appeals to you.
The disadvantage is that the watch you get is not brand new. It will be used and may or may not have the original box or paperwork. That is something serious to consider when buying a timepiece so expensive and collectible. Another disadvantage is that they only cater to buyers in the United States.
Wrapping It Up
We understand that it might be disappointing to hear that there is no way to get your Cartier watch directly from the original maker and still be able to finance it. But this doesn’t mean that their wish to have a Cartier timepiece financed is a lost cause entirely.
Sure, the purchase might come with its share of caveats, like having to pay in a short time or having to buy a pre-owned watch from a reseller.
But even with these concessions, we feel that the prospect of having a one-of-a-kind piece of art in your possession is worth at least exploring.
We hope that the options we have laid out for you here have made it easier for you to find your best fit in terms of financing options for your next purchase. And if not, at the very least, we have been able to point you in the right direction.
