Discover the creative background of Cartier’s Resonances collection as the masterpieces make their way to Hong Kong this month.

The gemstones do all the talking in Cartier’s latest high jewellery collection. Charlene Co looks into the creative background of Résonances de Cartier as the masterpieces make their way to Hong Kong this month

The creation of a Cartier high jewellery collection is as complex as it is emotional. It typically takes two to three years, with the conception of the collection followed by the long, arduous task of searching for the perfect stones.

“We travel all over the world in search of these gemstones, and this could take months and even years,” Cartier’s creative director, Jacqueline Karachi-langane, says. “And when that’s complete, we take the stones to our atelier and only then can the creation commence.” In this year’s high jewellery collection, Résonances de Cartier, the gemstones take on an even greater, more crucial role, as the aim is for the jewellery pieces to highlight the stones’ unique qualities—to resonate with the gems’ personalities, so to speak. Among the incredible stones featured are a 140.21-carat cabochon emerald from Colombia, a 19.79-carat cushion-shaped sapphire from Sri Lanka, a rare 10.08-carat kite-shaped diamond, and a pearshaped rubellite of more than 90 carats.

According to Karachi-langane, it’s important that the designers not only have the freedom to create, but also that they have a deep connection with the stones. “We lay out the stones and have the designers choose which ones they want to work with,” she says. “We feel very strongly about this—they must have an affinity with the stones; the stones must ‘speak’ to them somehow.

“I believe this approach makes the creation process even more interesting and inspiring. And it can be quite an emotional experience for the designer, seeing their stones— their babies—transformed into beautiful, precious objects. I think this is especially true for this collection, where the focus truly is on the gems. The designers can be inspired by the waves of light or ripples that they emit, for instance, or perhaps the jagged flashes of an impeccably faceted diamond.”

Cartier has 12 designers who focus solely on high jewellery, and each piece is seen through the entire process by the one designer. “That way, the designer is free to tell her story, her interpretation,” says Karachi-langane. “For my part, I make sure that there is harmony among all the pieces. I’m the conductor, if you will. It is, after all, a single collection and while there are 12 designers working on a multitude of designs and stones, ultimately they must all come together.”

The result is an incredible, 60-piece collection that’s contemporary, surprising and emotive. Aesthetically diverse, this collection presents an intriguing play on contrasts, a fascinating combination of sensual curves and rigid lines, rich with shapes that are rhythmic and fluid—all the while keeping the spotlight on the real stars of the creations: the stones.