At The House Of Cartier, Diamonds Are (still) A Girl’s Best Friend
With a sparkling celebration of its hometown Paris, Cartier launched a dazzling new film that shines on the City of Light as much as it does on the fabulous high-jewelry creations worn by English singer and model Karen Elson. Dressed in Red, “Cartier-box Red”, accompanied by tuxedoed partners, Elson sings and dances her way past some of the most beautiful scenery in the city – from the flagship boutique at 13 rue de la Paix where Cartier first opened its doors in 1899 to the neighbouring Place Vendôme, the river banks and the Grand Palais, with views of Paris and the most scintillating landmark of all – the Eiffel tower.
The Cartier panther – first seen in 1914 set in diamonds and onyx on the bezel of a round ladies’ wristwatch – observes…
Amid final preparations for the SIHH 2016, Cartier is not forgetting its roots as a jeweler, with a strong emphasis on diamonds, as shown with these exceptional High Jewelry pieces, and a ring and earrings from the recently launched “Galanterie de Cartier” collection.
Jeweler since its foundation by Louis-François Cartier in 1847, watchmaker since 1904 when grandson Louis created a watch with a leather wrist strap for his aviator friend Alberto Santos-Dumont, the House of Cartier quickly established a clientele of royalty and aristocracy worldwide, with its fine jewelry, high watchmaking and luxury items.
It was Edward, Prince of Wales who made famous the phrase “Jeweler to Kings, King of Jewelers’, appointing Cartier as “sole supplier of fine jewelry to the Crown of England” when he became King Edward VII in 1904. The now Duchess of Cambridge wore a Cartier tiara when she married Prince William in 2011.
If Cartier is the King of Jewelers, diamonds are the Queen of stones. Among the famous pieces sold by Cartier are the blue Hope diamond to American Evalyn Walsh Mclean in 1910, the 1000 carats ceremonial necklace for the Maharaja of Patiala in 1928, Grace Kelly’s 10.47 carat engagement ring from Prince Rainier III in 1956, and The Cartier-Burton-Taylor diamond of 69.42 carats in 1969.
To ensure the quality of Cartier diamonds, a team of dedicated experts carefully controls the “4 Cs”: the number of Carats; the Clarity: Cartier selects only from IF – Internally Flawless (flawless even when magnified by 10) to VS₂ (slight inclusions visible only when magnified by 10); the Colour which is all the more exceptional if colourless, evaluated on a scale from D to Z with Cartier stones between D and H; and the Cut, which is the determining factor for symmetry, balance and optimal brilliance and sparkle.
But even the most exceptional stones do not guarantee the most exceptional creations. Whether for jewellery, high jewellery or watchmaking, without the strong designs and savoir-faire of the Cartier ateliers in Paris and La Chaux-de-Fonds, the Cartier legend would not be what it is today.
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Photo Credit: Haute Time. For more information, please visit the official Cartier website. Follow Haute Time on Instagram to catch all of the new releases as they happen.
