A Century Later, Cartier's Art Deco Creations Remain Innovative

The Parisian house employs geometry and diamonds to guarantee that new creation is as innovative as its predecessor.

Cartier

One century ago, in the city of Paris, a fair took place, marking the birth of an era. The term Art Deco was informally coined several decades later, however it was the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes that served as the catalyst for its inspiration. The event showcased architecture, interior design, and fashion; nevertheless, jewelry was the unequivocal highlight. That was then; but, the auction outcomes of Art Deco items and the era's lasting impact on modern jewelry design elucidate a plain point: it is also now.

1925

Exposition application requested jewelry designs that demonstrated modern creativity and genuine originality. Cartier exhibited nearly 150 creations crafted in the preceding three years. A bandeau and necklace set called the Bérénice was of particular significance. In his essay for Cartier, Martin Chapman discusses the bandeau: The exhibition featured rows of melon-cut Indian emeralds, with the necklace resting on the collarbone and draping over the shoulder, its styled tasseled ends affixed to the back of the dress. It was crafted to display three substantial carved Mughal emeralds encircled by a belt of diaperwork embellishment composed of pearls and black enamel. This was a bold moment of innovation and established black and white as the house's hallmark. The technique of setting diamonds with black enamel or lacquer originated in the Victorian era, mostly for mourning jewelry, a prevalent style of the time. However, Cartier fully used this method during the Art Deco period to emphasize and enhance the era's geometric designs. Their preferred ink for accentuating the radiance of a white gemstone? Onyx.

2025

The Art Deco diamonds exhibit what historian Clare Phillips termed “a confidence of the contemporary,” elucidating the era's enduring allure. A centennial is also advantageous. The bold geometric and vibrant originality of Art Deco design, the audacity to transcend romantic embellishments and historical concepts, along with the experimental ethos and adoption of novel materials, has demonstrated timeless allure. A new Cartier High Jewelry collection includes a necklace and earring set named Statera, which translates to equilibrium in Latin. It features striking architecture and a remarkable diamond show accentuated by delicate onyx lines interspersed with openwork. The iconic black and white pairing of Cartier Art Deco resurfaces. Equilibrium is attained—between darkness and illumination, abundance and emptiness. However, paramount is the equilibrium between the past and the present, specifically 1925 and the current day.