Since its beginnings in 1914, the Panthère de Cartier collection has evolved with more fully articulated sculptural designs celebrating the Maison’s emblem.
The Panthère has been a creative signature for Cartier since the first appearance of her distinctive markings on a watch. Three years later, the Panthère transitioned from abstract to figurative representation when it was detailed on a case gifted to Jeanne Toussaint by Louis Cartier in 1917.
Toussaint, who was appointed director of fine jewellery in 1933, made the emblematic panther her personal signature. Truly one of a kind, she became one of the first women to occupy such a prominent position in the industry.
In the 1940s, she worked with designer Pierre Lemarchand on the new sculptural silhouette of the panther. Together, they transformed the motif into one of the most evocative pieces of jewellery of the 20th century.
Toussaint contributed revolutionary ideas for the Maison and her legacy lives on to this day. The Panthère’s strength and desirability, inherited by Toussaint, remain ingrained in its contemporary iterations.
Cartier embraces jewellery simplicity through the articulated Panthère, with its clean lines and elegant design, expressed by a bangle made of yellow gold marked with octagonal black lacquer spots or white gold paved with diamonds and studded with onyx spots.
Each stone is encircled by small metal grains for the pieces with diamonds to keep them secure. In addition, onyx is cut reminiscent of the feline’s fur coat to give it the ideal impression.
Thanks to the invisible system developed by the Maison, the Panthère de Cartier necklace and bracelet can unfold without revealing a hinge. Taking inspiration from the emblematic animal, the magnetic and sinuous design allows these jewellery pieces to hug the body as closely as possible.
The movement of the articulated Panthère necklace and bracelet is made possible by
the structure of two separate components crossed with two gold blades that are attached to two springs placed in the panthers’ heads.
Here’s a closer look at the Panthère de Collection necklace, bracelet, and ring in yellow gold as worn by Jisoo.
The ingenuity behind the creation of the Panthère serves as an endless source of inspiration for designers now more than ever, and its allure reflects on those who wear it.
Cartier is located at Level 1 of Greenbelt 4 in Makati.
Photos courtesy of Cartier.
