Cartier’s Storied Past
Cartier is a name that everyone knows. The luxury jewelry brand brings to mind timeless elegance and glittering jewels. When talking about fashion history, Cartier is an integral part of that history. Since its Parisian beginnings in 1847, the Maison has crafted beautiful creations and embedded itself into global cultures.
COURTESY OF VOGUE
Bold, breathtaking, and beautiful are just a few words that are often used to describe Cartier jewels. They have long been able to take precious stones and enhance their beauty with intricate and innovative designs. Cartier is truly an iconic Maison and a historic treasure.
COURTESY OF CARTIER
COURTESY OF CARTIER
Cartier was one of the first to popularize wrist watches at the beginning of the 20th century. While pocket watches were typical of the time, they were not all that convenient. Louis Cartier, the grandson of Cartier’s founder, had a friend named Alberto Santos-Dumont who was a Brazilian aviator that needed a hands free way to check the time. This led to the creation of the Alberto wristwatch. The Tank watch is another historic creation from Louis Cartier. The design was inspired by WWI tanks and has been part of the Cartier catalog since 1917–Andy Warhol, Jackie Kennedy, and Michelle Obama are among the historical figures that have sported the Tank watch.
COURTESY OF VOGUE
Louis Cartier’s designs still resonate today. In 1924, he introduced the Cartier Trinity collection and ring that featured three colors of gold: white, yellow, and pink. The collection has remained a part of Cartier since its creation and has even been worn by Princess Diana.
COURTESY OF CARTIER
The Art deco era was a major turning point in fashion history, and of course Cartier has an iconic collection from the height of the art deco era. The Tutti Frutti collection is a great example of how revolutionary Cartier has been throughout history. It was the first jewelry collection that experimented with mixing different colored stones. The exquisitely colored rubies, sapphires, and emeralds were inspired by Indian royalty and show influences of both the East and the West. Today, pieces from the iconic Tutti Frutti collection are treasured by collectors. The pieces are works of art.
COURTESY OF CARTIER
COURTESY OF CARTIER
The panther has been an emblem for Cartier almost since the brand’s beginnings. It started with Louis Cartier in 1914 when he commissioned an artist, George Barbier, to create an invitation for an exhibition that featured a panther at the foot of a woman. That same year was also the first time that the panther pattern was used on a wristwatch. For much of the 20th century, Jeanne Toussaint was the creative mind behind Cartier. She was nicknamed “The Panther” because she decorated her home with panther skins, and this nickname made Cartier lean into their panther emblem even more. The Duchess of Windsor wore beautiful three dimensional panther brooches and earrings that are a key part of Cartier history. Panther necklaces, bracelets, rings, and more were created and continue to be designed and sold by Cartier.
COURTESY OF ONLY NATURAL DIAMONDS
Another huge part of Cartier history is the Taylor-Burton diamond. The 69.42 carat pear shaped diamond was spectacular, and became part of actress Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton’s love story. After being outbid at auction by Cartier for the diamond, Burton purchased the diamond from Cartier for $1.1 million for his wife, Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor then had Cartier make a necklace with smaller pear shaped diamonds to showcase the larger diamond.
COURTESY OF WHO WHAT WEAR
Of course, you can’t bring up iconic Cartier pieces and not talk about the Love bracelet, still one of its most popular pieces. The bracelet made its debut in 1969 and was created by Aldo Cipullo. As it is called the Love bracelet, it is meant to symbolize enduring love and commitment. It was designed to only be opened and closed with an accompanying screwdriver, and it has an industrial-style design.
COURTESY OF CARTIER ON INSTAGRAM
Cartier has such a rich history. In 1973, Cartier created an archive department–the first of any jewelry house. They collected their own antique pieces, which has allowed them to share their history with the world. With many iconic pieces and collections that each have their own beautiful and unique design, the jewelry brand is legendary. Anyone that is fortunate enough to own a Cartier piece, treasures it. Each piece is truly a work of art.
COURTESY OF VOGUE
Speaking of works of art, Cartier pieces are on display at the Dallas Museum of Art in an exhibition called: “Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search of Modernity”. Louis Cartier was a collector of Persian and Indian art and manuscripts, and his brother Jacques often traveled to Bahrain and India, so this exhibit combines works from Cartier and works from Islamic artists. The Dallas Museum of Art co-curator explained to Vogue that the exhibit is meant to “interrogate how ideas move across cultures through trade, travel, trends, and ‘what it means to be inspired.’” The exhibit brings together two different art forms and creates a surreal immersive experience.
Cartier is still a name that everyone wants to have and show off. The historic and iconic Maison has been an important part of fashion history, and it will continue to make history and shine in the spotlight.