Luxury Watches Galore
DECODING LUXURY: CARTIER'S
BRANDING THOUGH CUSTOMER PERCEPTIONS
Written by Mariam Ba
I-Importance of Branding and Storytelling.
Since decades , Cartier changed the watch sector throughout innovation and design . The French house marketed itself as a timeless brand and a craftsmanship specialist . However, brands can sell some values that consumers don’t really perceive.
Indeed, A watch can have emotional significance in addition to its fundamental purpose of keeping time. People may interpret it in a variety of ways.
Today , in our luxury review ,we are going to analyse the perceptions of 92 candidates we hosted to review Cartier position and branding into the watch sector.
II. Objective of the Survey
Our objective through this survey was to gain a comprehensive understanding of how consumers perceive Cartier’s branding, and how these insights can enhance the brand's strategies to boost engagement. We asked detailed questions targeted at Cartier’s existing and potential consumers. With different topics like :brand image, purchase motivation, product perception, emotional connection, and brand loyalty:
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1-Are you involved into the luxury watch market ?
2-Do you consider Cartier as a reference in the luxury watch sector ?
3-What price range do you typically consider when buying a luxury watch?
4-How familiar are you with Cartier as a luxury brand?
5-How would you describe Cartier’s image and style?
6-When you think of Cartier watches, what makes them unique compared to other luxury watches?
7-Do you see Cartier primarily as a jewellery brand, a watch brand, or both?
8-How important is resale value in your decision to purchase a Cartier watch ? »
III- Key Findings from the Survey
Consumer Perception:
Before analyzing our results , it is essential to highlight we had a majority of women (93%) between 18-25 years old and this can impact the following answers.
Our Audience was also involving into the luxury sector at 45% and considered Cartier as real references into the watches luxury sector with 84,8% of « yes » to our question : « Do you consider Cartier as a reference in the luxury watch sector ? »
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​However, they were very familiar to the brand at only 16,3% and somewhat familiar at 32% which could represents a significant portion has a general awareness but this level of familiarity might not translate into deep emotional connection or loyalty to the brand. Cartier might not yet be top-of-mind in competitive situations with brands like Rolex or Patek for example. Also, Over 50% of respondents exhibit low or no familiarity with Cartier. This can represent issues with visibility in certain demographics or regions.
According to our respondents , Cartier still nevertheless align with it chore value witch is being timeless , a key branding area of the brand. They also defined the brand’s watches as unique thanks to « the name », « the design » « the craftsmanship », the « minimalism» , « French savoir-faire » , and « history » . We can also read : « They have a distinctive design, especially the way the numbers are written with good materials» . However we can observe something very interesting : Most of them consider Cartier more recognizable for their jewelry than for their watches at 62 % . Only 17% consider them as a watch brand and 20% consider Cartier as both : a jewelry and a watch brand. It can represent a barrier to purchase and make them consider concurrents products.
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Considering the prices , We observe very interesting results that can drive a new branding strategy for Cartier :
As it is a clear dominance of the Entry-Level Luxury Segment (51.1% for €2,500–€5,000)
which indicate a strong demand for more affordable luxury options. We can suggest to Cartier to balance prestige and cost as many consumers see luxury watches as aspirational but are also price-sensitive.
We also observe a Significant Interest in Mid-Range Luxury (€5,000–€10,000 at 29.3%):
representing almost a third of respondents willing to invest more for added craftsmanship, branding, or exclusivity within this mid-range bracket.
This category represents a key segment for consumers who seek both status and quality without venturing into ultra-high luxury prices.
Their is a Limited Appeal for High-End Luxury (€10,000–€20,000 at 14.1% and Over €20,000 at 5.5%):
The drop-off in interest for €10,000+ watches indicates a niche market for ultra-luxury, likely limited to collectors and high-net-worth individuals.
IV-RECOMMENDATIONS
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Thought these results , we can give several recommendations to the luxury brand.
First, Strengthen Brand Familiarity through improving the digital presence with a moderner perception by leveraging social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok as these platforms could attract a younger audience interested by luxury .
The price results also indicate to focus on Entry-Level Luxury Models:
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For example : Cartier’s Tank and Ronde de Cartier watches, priced within the €2,500–€5,000 range, align well with consumer preferences.
These models could serve as the cornerstone of Cartier’s branding and sales strategy, capturing younger and aspirational luxury buyers.
Expand Offerings in the Mid-Range Segment:
They could also develop a « jewelry watch » aspect like Bulgari did with the « Serpenti » collection to enhance the brand recognition into the watch sector and chose trendy ambassador that aligne their image by giving a second breath to the brand and positioning Cartier as the leader in modern luxury without losing heritage.
References:
-Bringé, Alison. “Times Are Changing for the Luxury Watch Industry: How Brands Should Respond.” Forbes, 21 June 2021, www.forbes.com/councils/forbescommunicationscouncil/2021/06/21/times-are-changing-for-the-luxury-watch-industry-how-brands-should-respond/.
-“Once upon a Time... How Storytelling Makes Each Watch Brand Unique | Frontify.” Frontify.com, 8 Sept. 2022, www.frontify.com/fr/blog/swiss-luxury-watch-brands/. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.
Apendix
