Cartier Sunglasses: Signature Frames and How to Choose

Cartier, founded in Paris in 1847, approaches eyewear the way it approaches a watch case: with fine metalwork and small, recognisable details. Most frames can be identified by one of a few signatures.

• Santos de Cartier: exposed screws on the frame front and temples, borrowed from the square bezel of the Santos watch. If the recipient already wears one, the link to Cartier watches makes for a coherent gift.
• Panthère de Cartier: the house's panther emblem, used as a sculpted detail at the hinge or temple. It suits someone who enjoys a bolder, more jewellery-like accessory.
• C Décor: the interlaced double C, often set into the temples, giving a quieter monogram than most fashion houses.

Finishes typically range from gold-tone and platinum-tone metal to acetate, with some frames using natural materials such as wood or horn at the upper end of the range. Seen alongside the wider Cartier house, the eyewear reads less as a trend piece and more as part of a jeweller's wardrobe.

Start with size. Three numbers printed on the inside of the temple give lens width, bridge width and temple length in millimetres. If you can borrow a pair the recipient already wears comfortably, note those numbers and look for a close match.

Then consider shape against face: rounder or aviator-style frames soften angular features, while square and rectangular frames, common in the Santos line, add structure to softer faces.

For lenses, choose by how the glasses will be worn. Gradient lenses suit driving into town and lunches outdoors; solid dark or polarised lenses are kinder for the beach, the water or a long drive through the Karoo glare. Confirm full UV protection either way.

On price, Cartier eyewear sits at the upper end of designer sunglasses. Metal finish, natural materials and decorative detail drive the cost more than lens type, so set a budget first and let it guide the line you look at. If you are comparing across our wider sunglasses guide, tell us what you have in mind and we will come back with options.

Sunglasses are worn almost daily in South Africa, which gives a Cartier pair more use than many luxury gifts. They work for a milestone birthday, a summer Christmas or a partner who already values the house's jewellery, and fit neatly within ideas for gifts for him as well as for her.

Care is simple but matters:

1. Clean lenses with the supplied microfibre cloth, never a shirt or tissue.
2. Store them in their case rather than loose in a bag.
3. Never leave them on a car dashboard in summer, where heat can warp acetate and stress coatings.
4. Have hinges and screws checked by an optician if the fit loosens.