She's Taking The Lead

As Cartier's Watch Design Chief, Marie-laure Cerede Has The Tough Job Of Safeguarding The Illustrious Maison's Watchmaking Legacy While Continuing To Create Signature Timepieces That Will Stand The Test Of Time

- CAROLINE SUGANDA

There is something different about the way Cartier designs its watches. It celebrates watchmaking without compromising on style; and it offers technical expertise that serves a design purpose. Every Cartier timepiece is backed by the maison’s illustrious heritage; and every new launch or revamp is backed by the one woman who has truly mastered the Cartier rulebook. Meet Marie-Laure Cerede, Cartier’s watch design chief — and probably one of the biggest reasons why Cartier’s watch division has been as successful as it has been.

Cerede started her career at Cartier in 2002. Later, she spent 12 years with Harry Winston, before rejoining Cartier in 2016. To head the watch division may not seem that difficult, considering the number of influential designs the maison is already known for, such as the Tank, Santos and Baignoire. But in reality, Cerede says her task is even more demanding because she has to create new timepieces that live up to Cartier’s standards while projecting its heritage into the future. Here, Cerede tells us five things we should know about Cartier watches.

On revamping the icons

When asked about the secret behind how the house manages to successfully turn out watches that are well received one after another, Cerede replies, “It’s [about] the ability to project them [the watches] into the future.”