.cartier

Status:	Delegated
Registry Provider:	Neustar
Date Implemented:	11 December 2014
Type:	Brand TLD
More information:

.cartier is a Brand TLD delegated in ICANN's New gTLD Program. Richemont DNS Inc. manages the TLD and is its Registry. The proposed application succeeded and was delegated to the Root Zone on 11 December, 2014.

Application Details

The following is excerpted from the applicant's response to question #18:

"The content of this Answer to Question 18 set forth below which describes the plans for Richemont DNS’s registry constitutes the “purpose” of the registry as that term is used in paragraph 1.b. of Specification 9 of the Draft New gTLD Registry Agreement found in Module 5 of the Richemont DNS Guidebook dated January 11, 2012 (“the Purpose”). Richemont DNS will publish its Charter and its policies, guidelines, and other supporting documentation related to the implementation of the registry consistent with the Purpose, all prior to launch. All second level domain names registered by Richemont DNS on behalf of itself or an affiliate will be registered through an ICANN-accredited registrar and will be consistent with the Purpose. All registrants of second level domain names will be affiliates of Richemont DNS or will be parties operating under a written trademark license specifically allowing the registration of a second level domain name within this registry (the “Required License”).

Cartier International SA Geneve (“Cartier”) is a French luxury jeweller and watch manufacturer originally founded in 1847 in Paris, France, by the Cartier family who retained ownership until 1964. For more than 150 years, it has served celebrities and the leading royal families of the world among others and many of its historic pieces are famous. In 1904, it made one of the first functional wristwatches, the ‘Santos’.

Its ultimate parent company is Compagnie Financière Richemont S.A. (“CFR”), a Swiss luxury goods holding company, which was created in 1988. This application is being made by Richemont DNS Inc. (“Richemont DNS”), one of CFR’s indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries. The group of companies whose ultimate parent company is CFR are referred to herein collectively as “Richemont”. Richemont’s luxury businesses operate globally. The largest market is Asia-Pacific, which generates more than 40 per cent of sales. We believe the diversity of our geographical operations, with a lack of dependency on any one market, represents a long-term competitive advantage. Cartier, through its various divisions, operates through more than 1400 points of sale for watches and accessories in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Richemont directly employs more than 20,000 people worldwide and has employees based in all major regions of the world. Two-thirds of Richemont’s employees are based in Europe, but Asia-Pacific and the Americas are also significant and growing areas of employment. The majority of Richemont’s employees in Europe are based in Switzerland, France, and Germany, where the manufacture of luxury goods is concentrated. Asia and the Far East are growing markets. In all regions, employees are engaged in retail, distribution, after sales service and⁄or administrative functions.

Richemont ‘A’ shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, Richemont’s primary listing, and are included in the Swiss Market Index (‘SMI’) of leading stocks. Richemont’s South African Depository Receipts are listed in Johannesburg, Richemont’s secondary listing. Richemont is the eighth largest company in the Swiss Market Index and, as of 2007, Richemont was the third-largest luxury goods company in the world by annual revenues. In the 2010⁄2011 financial year, Richemont sales were €6.892 billion, a rise of 33% on the previous year (at actual exchange rates) and our operating profit rose by 63% to €1.355 billion.

Under the Richemont brands, investments in research, development and innovation extend to watch movements, new product designs and marketing-related activities. The annual accounting charge for research and development costs is some €20 million. Cartier is a registered trademark in jurisdictions throughout the world. Richemont DNS intends to operate the .Cartier registry under a suitable license from Cartier and on Cartier’s behalf.

The .Cartier registry will be a standard, i.e. not a community-based, restricted registry."

Top-Level Domain