With the Quartz Crisis taking an unprecedented toll on the Swiss watchmaking industry throughout the 1970s and 1980s, brands like Cartier had to think outside of the box in order to remain financially viable. Luckily for Cartier, they had just branched into lighters following a proposal from S.T. Dupont, the lighter-manufacturer, in the late 60s to sell Cartier-branded lighters under license. Such was the success that Cartier branched out in the early 1970s and began to sell perfumes, scarves and other accessories under the sub-brand called "Must de Cartier." While they might be known for watches and jewellery these days, it was the humble lighter like those that we have here that inevitably saved Cartier from financial ruin and allowed them to continue operating as they have over the decades, and so in a round-a-bout way, the Le Must de Cartier lighter is one of Cartier’s most important offerings.

Lighter is in excellent used condition. There is some discoloration of the gold plate, visible primarily along the bottom plated surface of the lighter. Please note that the image shows a refill can but due to shipping regulations, it will not be included with the purchase. Additionally, the lighter has not been tested for functionality and may require a servicing to work.

An icon of 1980s Cartier, the Must de Cartier lighter helped save the company from financial ruin and allowed the brand to continue creating the watches and jewellery that we all know and love today.