Cartier is experimenting with a trade-in service that will allow customers to sell their watches back to the company.
The plan is revealed as part of a wider announcement about Cartier Care, a digital customer care system that will provide advice and access to service and support linked to the serial number of a watch.
Together, the initiatives suggest Cartier is aiming to build relationships with clients where their watches are tracked throughout their lives and might be sold and bought many times within Cartier-owned stores or authorised dealer networks of the brand.
Cartier Care builds on a pilot project launched along with the Santos de Cartier collection in 2018 that aimed to support anybody buying the watch throughout its lifetime, or at least during its eight year international limited warranty period.
That programme encourages clients to come into Cartier boutiques to have their mechanical watches checked for free and builds on an initiative linked to the launch of the 2017 Panthère de Cartier models where customers were offered complimentary battery changes, a brightening and a full technical check.
Cartier’s own boutiques will have a more comprehensive suite of watch workshop services available in-store including size adjustment and brightening and engraving.
“As part of the new services that are initiated, the Maison currently explores the possibility to buy timepieces back from our clients, thus enabling them to acquire creations from our newest collections,” Cartier confirms.
From today, Cartier clients can register their timepieces on a secure digital platform and get an access to services through Cartier Care including an up to 8-year International Limited Warranty across all timepieces.
Timepieces under the current International limited warranty are eligible for a warranty extension if they register their watches.
“Cartier Care is what innovation means to Cartier: moving forward, exploring new territories, new techniques, to better serve our clients and elevate their personal experience with our Maison. Our ambition is to define the best use of this digital platform to bring our clients to the next level of experience. Each of the services we provide is improving a part of our client journey, be it starting their relationship with us, or ensuring the highest level of service. More and more, clients are seeking out unexpected experiences, the “never seen before”. To that point, Cartier is more relevant than ever as we bring curiosity and surprise to our clients, and ultimately design compelling interactions with them,” says Arnaud Carrez, international marketing and communication director at Cartier.
