Cartier's Legacy: From The "Shiny" Pages Of The History To The Age Of Vintage Glory
The roots of all the jewellery we know, from the golden B pendant pearl necklace of the Queen of England Anne Boleyn to the knight rings that have become one of the epic symbols of heroism, bear the traces of the past. Today, big high jewellery houses manage to interpret the concept of vintage with an up-to-date look while referencing the past with the rising retro trends. While the rise of antique jewellery refers to the rich jewellery culture of humanity, industry leaders like French high jewellery giant Cartier also serve as a saving memento mission with their designs chosen from their archives.
"Jewellers are like artists; they capture our moment in time." - argues historian Vivienne Becker in an interview.
Since the founding year 1847, Maison's tradition created by inspirations from around the world allowed the French high jewellery house Cartier to become a living legacy. Preserving history is almost a sacred oath; principles that have leading the Maison for over a century and a half also maintain to keep Cartier's unique high jewellery creations.
Some of the oldest pieces in The Cartier Collection, which today includes more than 3,000 pieces, date back to the 1860s, while the newest ones date back to the late twentieth century. It was a turning point for Cartier when, at the Genova auction in 1973, Cartier purchased an enigmatic Portique mystery clock made half a century ago, a first in its history. Thus, the French high jewellery house Cartier took its first big step towards jewellery and watch designs that bear its signature and will represent its style for generations.
Deciding to preserve the history of all its productive activities by recording them systematically, Cartier has managed to have a unique archive since then. Aiming to present Maison's historical journey from 1847 to the present in a glorious retro-perspective, Cartier Collection has been featured in many exhibitions with unique pieces in its archives since its first major exhibition at the Petit Palais in Paris in 1989.
Cartier also offers historical pieces in its collection to jewellery lovers in some of its boutiques, while antique pieces can be adding their collections by jewellery, watch and valuables collectors. Furthermore, with the help of archives, selected artisans restore rare items after experts verify their authenticity.
Undoubtedly, Cartier is one of the tremendous high jewellery houses that has maintained the delicate balance between vintage references and modern elegance while carrying its heritage, which goes back to its past, beyond the age. These collections sometimes refer to the glorious characters of history, kings, queens and noble families, sometimes to the iconic artists of our youth, sometimes to the culture of an ancient civilization, and sometimes to design movements that managed to influence a period, protect the common heritage of humanity as a masterpiece of craftsmanship.
