The idea behind the Cartier Collection was to share the exquisite craftsmanship and the historical evolution of Cartier style with the public,” says Pierre Rainero, the storied jewellery house’s director of image, style and heritage. Over the years, Cartier has meticulously reacquired its most significant creations. The resulting archive is as much a study of artistry as it is a chronicle of beauty and yet it has only been glimpsed IRL by a privileged few. All that changes this month as the Victoria and Albert Museum unveils Cartier, the first major London exhibition on the house’s jewellery and watches in almost 30 years.
“We really wanted to showcase what has made the maison exceptional,” says Rachel Garrahan, Vogue’s contributing jewellery and watch director and the show’s co-curator along with Helen Molesworth. Disappoint it does not.
You can, of course, expect rare iterations of all the usual suspects: the Tank watch, the Tutti Frutti collection, the Panthère et al. But I urge you to seek out other highlights within the near 400 treasures, including the Williamson brooch (its 23.6-carat pink diamond is one of the largest in the world), which was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Then there’s Grace Kelly’s 10.48-carat diamond engagement ring, which she wore in the 1956 classic High Society.
Also unmissable: the Scroll tiara, which features 1,040 diamonds, that the late Queen received as an 18th birthday present. Who would have guessed that decades later it would have found its way onto a 2016 magazine cover, magnificently perched on Rihanna’s crown? In short, a must-see that will leave you with a twinkle in your eye.
Cartier is at the V&A until 16 November.
Cover image: a 1932 platinum, diamond and emerald necklace by Cartier, which features as part of the V&A’s exhibition.
