The History of Four Iconic Cartier Jewelry Pieces

Among all their luxury products, Maison Cartier is most famous for their incredible jewelry. In fact, most Cartier jewelry pieces are instantly recognizable—emphasizing the company’s ability to create icons. In honor of the brand’s creative legacy, let’s take a look at the origins and evolutions of some of Cartier’s most celebrated jewels.

Trinity de Cartier

One of the oldest Cartier jewelry collections still in existence today, the Trinity line was created by Louis Cartier in 1924. Characterized by three interlocking rings—each in white, yellow, and pink gold—Trinity jewelry pieces look just as fresh today as they did almost 100 years ago.

Aside from looking great, each of the colors represents a deeper meaning. The white band symbolizes friendship, while the yellow band represents fidelity. This leaves us with the rose gold band, which of course, signifies love.

What started as a simple Cartier Trinity ring has now bloomed into a full Cartier jewelry collection. The Cartier Trinity jewelry range includes rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. From elegant gold only pieces to diamond-paved ones, the Trinity Cartier jewelry line is varied in terms of style and price points. Plus, given its three shades of gold, it can match with almost any other jewelry piece in one’s personal collection.

Panthère de Cartier

While Cartier jewelry uses plenty of animals as inspiration, no beast is as closely associated with the brand as the panther. In 1914, Louis Cartier commissioned an art piece depicting a lady with a black panther at her feet. That same year, Cartier created a wristwatch that mimicked the big cat’s spotted fur with diamonds and gems. The Maison’s obsession with the panther came in full effect with the arrival of  Jeanne Toussaint in 1918. Thanks to her distinct style and personality, Jeanne herself was nicknamed “La Panthère”. She became creative director of Cartier jewelry by 1933 and during her tenure, she created plenty of jewels inspired by the elegant animal.

Some famous women who counted themselves as fans of Cartier Panther jewelry during Jeanne’s era included Mexican actress Maria Felix, American heiress Barbara Hutton, Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson, socialite, Daisy Fellowes, and countless others.

1935 saw the launch of the very first Cartier panther ring, which combined black enamel and yellow gold. An integral part of the Cartier jewelry offering, there have been so many stunning Panthère de Cartier high-jewelry rings to come out from the House over the years. In fact, decades later, Cartier continues to create these magnificent rings. In addition to these high jewelry creations, there’s also a Cartier Panthere jewelry collection that includes rings, bracelets, and necklaces that can be worn and enjoyed on a more regular basis. Last but not least, there’s the famed Cartier Panthere watch collection, characterized by beautiful and supple link bracelets.

Love de Cartier

Perhaps the most famous of Cartier jewelry collections, the Love bracelet has enjoyed immense popularity throughout its history. Created by Aldo Cipullo in 1969, the Love bangle was designed to only open and close with an accompanying screwdriver. Each piece is adorned with screw-like embellishments, playing up the jewel’s industrial design. Part handcuff, part chastity belt, the Love bracelet has come to signify enduring and faithful love. The fact that the Love bracelet is for both men and women further emphasizes its universal appeal.

To accompany the famous Cartier Love bracelet, there are also Love rings, Love necklaces, and Love earrings. Furthermore, since this Cartier collection has been in production for almost five decades, there are also vintage Love bracelets available in the secondary market.

Often worn along with a luxury watch, few jewelry pieces are as prestigious and recognizable as the Love bracelet.

Juste un Clou de Cartier

Although the Juste un Clou Cartier jewelry collection only made its official debut in 2012, its origins date back to the 1970s. In fact, Aldo Cipullo created it shortly after the Love bracelet. The vintage Aldo Cipullo nail bracelet for Cartier laid the foundation for the contemporary Just un Clou collection that includes earrings, bracelets, rings, cufflinks, and necklaces.

French for “just a nail” Juste un Clou is just that. It takes the most common piece of hardware—a nail—and transforms it into a precious piece of jewelry. Similar to the Love collection, the Just un Clou is also unisex. Additionally, the nail-inspired Cartier jewelry is available in white, yellow, and pink gold in addition to some diamond pieces.

Despite its vintage roots, the Juste un Clou collection is one of the most modern-looking Cartier jewelry lines today.