First introduced in 1983 and then revived again in 2017, the Panthere watch collection has been an important one for Cartier and a favorite among celebrities and regular folk alike. While there are many Cartier Panthere watch variations, the design traits that generally tie them together are square cases, square bezels, classic Cartier dial layouts, and most importantly, supple link bracelets.

The panther has long been an important emblem of the House of Cartier, cherished for its fierceness, gracefulness, mysteriousness, and beauty. In 1914, Louis Cartier commissioned the “Lady With a Panther” drawing from renowned French illustrator George Barbier to use on a Cartier jewelry exhibition invitation. That same year, Cartier created a magnificent ladies’ wristwatch featuring a panther pattern in black onyx and diamonds.

Cartier has since continued to use the panther as inspiration, creating spectacular jewelry featuring the striking feline throughout the decades. There are Cartier pieces featuring panther heads, entire panther silhouettes, and panther-inspired patterns.

In 1983, Cartier unveiled the Panthere de Cartier watch collection, which doesn’t feature the beautiful beast in an obvious manner but rather subtly. The Panthère de Cartier watch was named after its flexible bracelet that mimics the big cat’s graceful movement. The bracelet was explicitly designed so that the Cartier Panthere watch can double as a jewelry piece; beauty and functionality rolled into one, wrapped stylishly around the wrist. According to Cartier, the Panthere introduced the concept of the jewelry watch.