Ungendered Luxury
Cartier reacquaints audiences with the Panthère de Cartier, an icon that embodies the glitz of yesteryears
The Panthère de Cartier was first introduced to the public in 1983, an era that saw fur coats, penny loafers, and hoop earrings as pr ominent trends. It easily became a cult favourite, as it suitably summed up what was in at the time. Back then, the mentality was: all that glittered was most likely gold and bigger was automatically better— with the exception of a small timepiece wrapped around the wrists of those who could afford it. Both male and female celebrities sported this luxurious timepiece on casual outings and magazine spr eads, proving it was much mor e than a beautiful lady’s watch.
The timepiece has since been a part of many prized collections, marking its place as an opulent mainstay in the atelier’s storied archives. This year welcomes the design’s reintroduction to both old and new patrons. The reinvented Panthère goes beyond today’s resurgence of luxury vintage trends, since the passing of time itself has rendered it a classic to covet.
Elongated Roman numerals and a barely distinguishable Cartier logo at 10 o’clock add to its timeless appeal and easy readability— all housed within the same dainty squar e case with r ounded corners. The wristwatch extends its potential as a useful piece of jewellery when worn with added choices of diamonds to bor der the casing for extra depth and a hint of glamour .
Just like the original, a feminine bracelet strap wraps snugly around the wrist. The links’ architecture seem to mimic the movement of a panther as it crawls, both up-close and from afar, perhaps lending to its name. Nevertheless, the bands are suppler than that of its predecessor and are offered today in steel, yellow, and pink gold, and a number of contrasting combinations. The straps are just as well available in a classic single, double, and triple loop to emphasise present evolution.
As current coloured and decorative variations widen the range of the wristwatch’s audience, this little keepsake speaks volumes to br oaden symbols of gender. While it may be common in fashion for women to borr ow men’s watches, the Panthère de Cartier is an ever- subtle challenge to this norm since its first release. Undoubtedly, the creation will continue to seduce individuals with a discerning taste for finer things, who ar e bold enough to slip on the andr ogynous icon to make it entir ely their own.