FIERCE AND FABULOUS

Every Cartier collector worth her diamonds will know that no other creature in the world of jewellery is ever as glamorous, sensuous and commanding as the panther. The big cat has been a creative signature for the French maison since her first sighting – as spotted motifs on a watch in 1914. After graduating from the abstract to a figurative expression on a travelling box in 1917, the creature began to take a three-dimensional form. At the turn of the 20th century, Louis Cartier also encouraged his designers to experiment with original palettes, the result of which was the invention of new emblematic house colours, such as the red and black combination. Today, the sculptural panthère is a meticulous study in the anatomy of power: its muscles, features, volume and poses are rendered in startling realism. One iteration we love is this Panthère de Cartier parure, featuring white gold, onyx, emeralds, diamonds, and of course, solar-hued coral that exudes fiery passion.