--Previous Message-- : : It's just written ! May be it became : properrty of prince Rainier when he ascended : the throne in 1949
But at the beginning of each chapter they insert these year dates for exemplary pieces, and it's obvious that they are referring to the year of origin. It wouldn't make sense to refer to the year when a piece became property of someone, if the purpose is to give a time frame for a period in the history of Cartier.