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42 ORNAMENT 33.3.2010 I carat diamondengagementring thatPrinceRainiergaveto ocean liner,to clientele hadtraveledtoParis,sometimestwiceayearvia other to better servetheAstors,Morgans,Vanderbilts,and venerable FrenchfirmopenedanoutpostinNewYorkCity of Cartier inAmerica,anerathatbegan1909whenthe will nottravel,markstheone-hundred-yearanniversary a shortnecklace. 1920s thatcleverlycanbeconvertedinto diamond necklace,andalongsautoirfromthe diamond-studded tiaras,ElizabethTaylor’srubyand Audible gaspsandappreciativemurmursgreetthe Legion ofHonorinSanFranciscotobearwitness. Cartier. Allphotographscourtesyof the LegionofHonor,FineArtsMuseumsSanFrancisco. faceted amethyst,twenty-sevenemerald-cut amethysts,oneovalfacetedamethyst,andturquoisecabochons. NickWelsh,CartierCollection,© BIB NECKLACE,1947,CartierParis,twisted eighteen-andtwenty-karatgold,platinum,brilliant-baguette-cut diamonds,oneheart-shaped The threehundreditemsondisplayincludetheten- The exhibition(December19,2009-May9,2010),which Cartier andAmericaexhibitionatthe to drawcrowds,justvisitthespectacular f anyonedoubtsthepowerofdiamonds Gilded Ageclients.Untilthen,Cartier’sAmerican order theirsuitesofmust-havejewelry. King ofJewelers “How wasCartierabletomakethis transition, fromdiamondstoonyx, neoclassicism togeometry,royal two braceletsand tiara toflappernecklace?” This createdasensation.Until then,silverwasusedfor platinum settingsthatallowedtheeyetoseeonlydiamonds. firm hadalreadyintroducedinParisitsnearlyinvisible press againsttheskin.” arm braceletreads:“Clientwantsthepointsofstonesto design drawings.Adesigner’snoteona1949drawingofgold necklaces, ashortfilmonproductionprocessesandoriginal which precedestheexhibition.Itfeaturesplastercastsof famously gaveuphisthronetomarry. divorcee WallisSimpson,forwhomKingEdwardVIII a textileandwhoseheadswivels.Itwas black onyxanddiamondswhoselithebodydrapes Before CartierhadsetupshopintheUnitedStates, Not tobeoverlookedistheexcellent“contextgallery” fully articulated“panther”braceletmadeofcalibre-cut Merriweather Post, and a by cerealheiressMarjorieMerriweatherPost,anda diamonds andcascadingIndianemeraldsowned time, anenormouseight-inch-longbroochof Grace Kelly—exhibitedpubliclyforthefirst Nancy UkaiRussell made forAmerican like 3/31/10 7:22 PM 33_3_CARTIER3.CB.indd 43 Nick Welsh, © Cartier. Nick Welsh,©Cartier. diamonds, millegrainsetting. carats intotal,old-androse-cut approximately seventeen shaped diamondsweighing platinum, sevenpear- TIARA, 1905, CartierParis, and Siam,initsstorewindowsontheultra-chicruedelaPaix. newly acquiredroyalclients,fromSpaintoRussiaEgypt fifteen moreinensuingyears,postingthecoatsofarmsits Edward itsfirstroyalwarrant.Cartierwentontoreceive VII’s coronationin1902andtwoyearslater,receivedfrom royal commissiontoproducetwenty-seventiarasforEdward “jeweler ofkings,kingjewelers.”Thecompanyreceiveda nouveau richeheiresseswhoaspiredtocourtstatus. appealed toEuropeanroyalfamilies,aswellAmerican yet gracefulandlightinfeeling.Itsneoclassicalreferences the patternsoflace,bowsandribbons,piecesareformal of LouisXVIandtheageVersailles.Itsmetalworkrecalled inspired stylerevivedthesymmetryandformalcourtmotifs the swagsoflate-eighteenth-centurydraping,thistextile- exemplify Cartier’sclassical“garland-style.”Namedafter The firstroomstartswithgorgeousBelleEpoquetiarasthat the design,onehardlyknowswheretolookfirst. like metalworkthatsupportsbutalsoformsanintegralpartof to bemeasuredintheonehundreds—andembroidery- diamonds, theenormityofpendantgemstones—caratsseem sapphire- and-diamondbibnecklaces.Betweenthedensityof settings areonview,inlacytiaras,artdecobrooches,and and appreciated. metal tarnishedandlessofthegem’sbrilliancecouldbeseen gem settingsanditnowlookedheavybycomparison.The Excelling inthisprofitablegenre,Cartierwasdubbed Fortunately, theexhibitsaredisplayedchronologically. Many examplesoftheselightyetassuredplatinum in the1950sandbeyond,feltsomehowlessthrilling deco masterpieces,thatthegoldjewelryandpiecesfollowed, staring intentlyatthetiaras,whitediamondjewelryandart between 1900-1940.Anditcertainlyseemedtruethatafter suggested thatthepeakofCartier’sdesignhistorywas throughout theremainderofexhibition.Somehave Paris, fromwhichartdecoreceiveditsname. Internationale desArtsDécoratifsetIndustrielsModernesin movement asitwasshowcasedatthe1925Exposition earrings dangled.Suchpieceswereexemplarsoftheartdeco down totheforehead—setoffbobbedhairstyles.Long pearl ordiamondsautoirs. look of now andfashionjewelryreflectedthatchange.Thevertical flexible forms,becausewomen’sbodiesmovedmorefreely Thomas, thewifeofColePorter. with newmaterials,asinascarabbroochmadeforLindaLee stones appearandancientfaienceisinnovativelymixed emeralds, rubies,sapphires,andjade.Cabochoncarved dominate andthepaletteexplodeswithcolor:coral,onyx, approximately 1918-1937. sautoirs, bandeaus,andbraceletsthatweremadebetween almost shockingchange—exoticartdecobrooches,buckles, Here, aquestioncametomind,anditpersisted Bandeau ribbons—essentiallyastreamlinedtiaradropped Diamonds arestillpresent,butsetinmorelinearand In dramaticcontrasttothepreviousera,geometriclines The garland-stylepieces,however,arefollowedbyan short, tubulardresseswasenhancedbyhip-length Cartier Collection,©Cartier. quartz (scarab),andblackenamel.NickWelsh, round old-cutdiamonds,emeraldcabochons,smoky platinum, blueancientEgyptianfaience(wings), SCARAB BUCKLEBROOCH,1924,CartierLondon,gold, 3/31/10 7:22 PM

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44 ORNAMENT 33.3.2010 platinum, gold,andenamel.©Cartier. cabochon, coral,onyx,diamonds, ancient Egyptianfaience,emerald HORUS BROOCH,1925,CartierParis, Welsh, CartierCollection,©Cartier. and sapphirecabochons(spots).Nick pear-shaped yellowdiamonds(eyes), cabochon, single-cutdiamonds,two one 152.35-caratKashmirsapphire Cartier Paris,platinum,whitegold, PANTHER CLIPBROOCH,1949, Upon reflection,Cartier’smovefromneoclassicismtoart neoclassicism togeometry,royaltiaraflappernecklace? able tomakethistransition,fromdiamondsonyx, suppleness borne,perhaps,fromthewovengoldstrands. except fortheturquoise.Itexudeswarmth,weightanda of Windsorplacedtheorderandsuppliedmoststones, the colorfulgemsseeminglywovenintogoldlace.TheDuke necklace, forexample,createdinanIndian-inspiredstylehas in collaborationwiththeDuchessofWindsor. collection whichwasdevelopedbyCartier’sJeanneToussaint produced inthe1940sand1950s,suchaspanther his neighborasweallstoodinfrontofthedisplay. coherent. “Thisseemsanticlimactic,”whisperedoneviewerto The stubbornquestionreturns,however.HowwasCartier Also, astunningamethyst,turquoiseanddiamondbib There areundeniablystrongsignaturepieceswhichwere

discussing Cartier’saesthetic.Heobservesthatthird- years immersedinresearchforhisbook. was givenfullaccesstotheCartierarchivesandspentthree emerged. Nadelhoffer,ajewelryexpertforChristie’sinGeneva, Extraordinary, thatapersuasiveanswertomyminormystery and philosophy. to explainthepersonaltwistsandturnsinartisticproduction genre toanother.Inthecaseofanartist,thereisbiography could movesoseamlesslyfromoneverydifferentdesign story here—anexplanationneededtotellhowaninstitution in bothrepresentationalandabstractstyles. both genresfeltasnaturalacceptingthatPicassopainted of thepiecesandspectacularresults,existence deco seemedunsettling,yetgiventhevirtuosoconstruction It wasfinallyinHansNadelhoffer’sbook, So whythedissonance?Thereseemedtobeanuntold Nadelhoffer startsby Cartier: Jewelers 3/31/10 7:22 PM 33_3_CARTIER3.CB.indd 45 Egyptian, GreekandChinesemotifsforinspiration. He wasfrequentlyattheLouvrewithhissketchbook,copying but wastooroaminginhisartisticvisiontostayonegenre. Charles JacqueaubecameamasterofCartier’sgarlandstyle, two weretoworkcloselyforthirtyyearsthereafter. Cartier asaspecialtalentandimmediatelyhiredin1909.The employee ofaParisbronzestudiowasrecognizedbyLouis period and,subsequently,ontheentirecompany.Thisyoung however, whowasthepivotalfigureduringthistransitional items suchashatpins,broochesandpendants. the garlandstyle.Simplelinesbeganappearinginsmall Cartier toorganicallycreateitsownin-housereaction in lack ofimmersion style didnothaveitsowngeometricalpatterns.Unexpectedly,a nouveau didnotappeal.Butthisistosaythatthegarland this formula.Also,thealternativematerialscharacteristicofart garland-style confectionsandtherewasnointerestinupsetting lines andnature-inspiredmotifs. the artnouveaumovementof1900sanditsundulating generation LouisCartier,theeldestofthreebrothers,disliked In afirmwhichimposedanonymityonitsdesigners, It wasonedesignertowhomNadelhofferdevotesachapter, The Cartierhousewaseminentlysuccessfulinsellingits art nouveaumayhavepermitted before their children’s generation took the firm public in 1964. before theirchildren’sgenerationtookthefirmpublicin1964. inspiration, andhiredthemosttalenteddesignersartisans, married highsocietywomen,traveledworldwidefor and boughtthebestgemstones,cultivatedrichestclients, who expandedinternationallytoLondonandNewYork, especially thethirdgenerationofLouis,PierreandJacques, longevity. ThereisthestrengthofCartierfamily, of thecomplexitiesthatliebeneathacompany’ssuccessand which the artdecostyle…givingfirmthatartisticadvantage of was Cartier’s which the championofanewaesthetic…ThankstoJacqueau,it the garlandstyle,espouseboldcolorsanddesignbecome Cartier’s andcontemporarydesigningeneralwastoabandon Nadelhoffer writes:“Thegreatestservice(Jacqueau)rendered the gold-cladMoor,inspiredartiststolook“Orient.” Emerald greencurtains,orangepillars,bluedoors,andNijinsky, fired upPariswithitscolors,swirlingmovementsandsets. waves inthearts.The1910balletScheherazade,particular, impact oftheBalletRusses,whoseproductionswerecreating One leavestheCartierexhibitionwithastrongsense Thereafter, Jacqueaubecameapioneeroftheartdecostyle. But overwhelmingallotherinfluenceswastheprofound distinguished itfromitsrivals”(Nadelhoffer,142). produced themostconvincingexamples © Cartier. Welsh, CartierCollection, collet-set diamonds. ruby beadsstuddedwith emerald cabochons,and rubies, sapphireand sapphires, emeraldsand leaf-shaped carved and single-cutdiamonds, Paris, platinum,brilliant- BRACELET, 1929,Cartier TUTTI FRUTTISTRAP © Cartier. diamonds, andemeralds. 1969, CartierParis,gold, DOLPHIN BANGLE, Nick 3/31/10 7:22 PM

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46 ORNAMENT 33.3.2010 Photograph byJohnBigelowTaylor. rubies, platinumanddiamonds. RUBY NECKLACE,1951,CartierParis, © Photofest. offered in1957byMikeTodd. diamond necklaceandearrings with herCartierrubyand ELIZABETH TAYLORin1958, 3/31/10 7:23 PM 33_3_CARTIER3.CB.indd 47 Collection, ©Cartier. Nick Welsh,Cartier 43 centimeterslong. emerald cabochons, emerald beads,and fluted andsmooth square carvedemeralds, one sapphirecabochon, carats, sapphirebeads, sapphires, 50.8and42.45 leaf-shaped carved 146.9 caratsintotal,two cut sapphiresweighing rubies, thirteenbriolette- round old-cutdiamonds, marquise-, baguette-,and 1963, platinum,whitegold, 1936, CartierParis,alteredin NECKLACE, specialorder, TUTTI FRUTTI(HINDU) thinks ofdiamondswornby celebritiesontheredcarpet. answers varied.Atwenty-two-year-old studentsaidshe yesterday’s diamondsmaybetomorrow’s electronicgadget. of diamonds.Incontemporaryconsumerculture,moreover, swiftly andpeoplearemoreawareofthepoliticaldimensions of cubiczirconiaand“blooddiamonds.”Fashionschange and artisticvision. highest levelofcraftsmanshipwhilemaintainingitsreputation ability todevelopclassicdesigns,andexecutethematthe paparazzi cameras. the sparkleswhichglanceoffeyes,likebrightflashesfrom and isbestexperiencedbywalkingaroundthecase,tocatch carat StarofSouthAfricapendant,isahighlighttheexhibition designs totheirfullestextent. 1860s putthecompanyinapositiontodevelopitsjewelry discovery ofnewdiamondminesinSouthAfricathelate of settingthatallowedmassestinydiamondstoshine.The new patrons. of newtechnologiesandmaterialstheappearance influence acompany’sdestiny,suchastheintroduction When Iaskedwhatthename“Cartier” meanttothem,the It isnotclearthatanold-styleCartiercanpersistinage But Cartier’ssuccessalsorestedonthecompany’smicro The mostfamousdiscoveryofthatage,theforty-seven- Cartier’s innovativeuseofplatinumcreatedanewtype Then therearethemacrodevelopmentsinsocietywhich encased inanamberalltheirown. new. Forthetimebeing,however,theseCartierexhibitsremain higher thelikelihoodofitsbeingrefashionedintosomething seduce, provoke,anddisturb.Themorepreciousagem,the books, tostudytheclassicCartierworkswhichfascinate, (Dabson, 2009). diamonds butthat’snotsoclearfortheiPodgeneration” official recentlysaid,“Weknowpeopleoverfifty-fivetreasure the connectionspeed,itdoesnotsurprisethataDeBeers the numberofdiamondsthatfitonamountbutbyhowfast black dress—andaCartierTankFrancaise. White HousephotographofMichelleObamainasleeveless unveiled in1919—followedbyanotherslideoftheofficial Jacqueline KennedywearingaCartierTankwatch—originally be handeddowntoone’schildren. expatriate explainedthataCartierwatchisanheirloom,to classy. Cartierisnevertrendyanditholdsitsvalue.”AFrench A dealerwhohassoldinNewYorkfordecadessaid,“They’re Nadelhoffer, Dabson, Tim.DeBeers.TheWallStreetJournal, Nov.16,2009. Chapman, Martin. SUGGESTED READINGS With allthisinmind,onereturnstotheMuseum,and And inourdaywhenpopularwonderisarousednotby Interestingly, alectureratthemuseumshowedslideof Hans. Cartier andAmerica.NewYork:DelmonicoBooks-Prestel,2009. Cartier: JewelersExtraordinary.NewYork:HarryN.Abrams,1984.

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