A collection of six panther-shaped jewelry pieces, which will be presented in boutiques around the world this fall, is a tribute not only to the main symbol of the Parisian jewelry house, but also to the tradition of creating flexible jewelry.
The panther has been part of Cartier’s artistic universe for over 100 years. It appeared as black speckles on a wristwatch in 1914, then on a pocket watch in 1915, and in 1917 the graceful panther between two cypress trees decorated an onyx case intended for Jeanne Toussaint. Toussaint took over as creative director of Cartier in 1930 and began making jewelry in the form of panther figurines. She created a brooch for the Duchess of Windsor in 1949, bearing a 152.35 carat sapphire cabochon. The same year Daisy Fellows ordered a panther brooch from Cartier hanging from a gold ribbon in the manner of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The first fully articulated bracelet was made for the Duchess of Windsor in 1952. Nina Dyer, wife of Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, was a great fan of Cartier panthers.
Cartier’s new panther turned out to be very flexible. The collection features an uncluttered ring, a bracelet and a necklace-collar with two sculpted heads on the ends. All six La Panthère jewelry pieces are made of yellow polished gold or white, encrusted with diamonds. The precious hide is adorned with spots of black lacquer or black onyx. The jeweled body of the panther takes on an anatomical form without difficulty, since it is composed of several small fragments with barely discernible boundaries. Thanks to the two inner gold heart blades connected to two springs, the entire spotted design gains incredible flexibility and a comfortable fit.
Photo: press service
