Inside Cartier's Refurbished Six-Level Parisian Home
Cartier's reimagined boutique at 13 Paix is a reinvigoration of the Maison's historic base in the French capital.
After more than two years of renovation, Cartier lifts the veil on its transformed 13 Paix boutique. One of the three temples of the Maison — alongside the boutiques on New Bond Street in London and 5th Avenue in New York City — 13 rue de la Paix underwent an extensive reimagining led by three teams of architects and employing the expertise of craftspeople hailing from nearly 40 art workshops to emerge a sublime space of timeless modernity and rich detail.
Along with an eye towards sustainability, and built in order to meet the conditions for BREEAM environmental certification, 13 Paix’s 3,000-sqm area, spread across six floors, was reworked with forging connections in mind — with clients and customers, and with the Maison’s heritage and history.
“This architectural vision is that of the entire Cartier style, which finds its power in all eras and all cultures in order to capture the beauty and universality of each one,” says Cyrille Vigneron, President and CEO of Cartier International. On top of the Maison’s contemporary collections, the rejuvenated 13 Paix offers creations exclusive to the boutique, such as jewellery and watches engraved with “13 Paix Paris” or the 13 Paix coat of arms, high jewellery pieces, and three limited-edition watches — the Tonneau, Tank Asymétrique, and Cloche — with “13 Paix” in place of 12 and 1 o’clock.
The birthplace of the Cartier universe, and the nexus of the Maison’s Parisian network of boutiques and the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain art museum, 13 Paix was the Parisian base that Louis Cartier set out to establish for his family business in 1899. From the same location emanated the renowned “Toussaint taste” that defined an important epoch in the Maison’s history, shaped by Cartier’s creative director from 1933 to the early 1970s, Jeanne Toussaint.
“By reinventing itself in 2022, this place that laid the foundations of modern and contemporary jewellery and saw the invention of the modern wristwatch and the birth of the Panther continues and reaffirms its place and role in a radiant Paris,” says Pierre Rainero, Director of Image, Style and Heritage at Cartier, “a Paris of taste and savoir-faire that remains a reference for the entire world.”
Leaning on Moinard Bétaille agency, Studioparisien agency, and interior designer Laura Gonzalez, the metamorphosis of 13 Paix resulted in soothing, sophisticated and transportative interiors that support a vast range of functions for a boutique of this stature: spaces for commercial purposes on the ground, first and second floors; services such as repairs and personalisation on the third floor; high jewellery workshops housing 18 artisans on the fourth floor; the Maison’s archives, a winter garden, and the Residence — a reception and living space with a dining room, a salon, a large kitchen — on the fifth and sixth floors.
Interspersed among the six levels are spaces for hosting guests and clients, showcasing Maison’s watchmaking and vintage creations, and housing precious heritage items such as rare books and Jean Cocteau’s Academician Sword. The 10 salons include ones named after noted personalities connected with the Maison, like inventor and aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, and design inspiration such as Art Deco and fauna and flora.
“13 Paix is Cartier’s historic and Parisian home. We had to consider this legacy, find a contemporary narrative for its classic architecture, and play with the codes of this iconic symbol,” explains Nicolas Vérine, Director of Cartier’s Architecture Department.
In adding decorative touches to the redesigned space, the Maison preserved some significant elements of the original 13 Paix building, such as the black marble facade and certain mouldings, and incorporated métiers d’art to showcase how the creative energy of the Maison will endure in its new home in Paris. Highlights of artistic marvel include a stone marquetry panel by Hervé Obligi displayed in the Art Deco salon that pays homage to a Cartier high jewellery bracelet of onyx, diamond and emerald from 2014; plaster reliefs by Étienne Rayssac located in the high jewellery workshops and archives department, referencing bird brooches designed by Jeanne Toussaint and the cast of a bodice front from 1909; and leather marquetry panels by Baqué Molinié situated in the light-filled atrium, composed of salvaged leather pieces from Cartier’s leather products and set in designs depicting the Maison’s menagerie and favoured floral motifs.
“[13 Paix’s] opening in 1899 is associated with the arrival of Louis Cartier at the head of the Maison and the establishment of the design studio,” emphasises Rainero. “As the cradle of major stylistic trends in jewellery, the 13 Paix boutique has always been a source of inspiration for Cartier Maisons around the world.”
