When Cartier met India
In 1847, 29-year-old Louis Cartier took over the jewelry store at 31 Rue Montorgueil in Paris from his master. Louis Cartier registered the Cartier company with his initials L and C surrounded by a heart to form a diamond-shaped logo. The legend of Cartier begins here. In the following more than a century and a half, its descendants Yafa Cartier, Jacques Cartier, Jas Cartier, etc. have developed their heritage into a world-renowned brand in the field of jewelry, watches and accessories manufacturing.
Louis Cartier is a talented designer. In 1895, Louis Cartier was the first genius to use light, hard platinum in diamond settings.
In 1902, Cartier’s stores opened from Paris to London and New York, and New York gradually became the headquarters of the Cartier kingdom. Passed down by father and son for only two generations, Cartier has become the “King of Jewelry” in the world, and has gradually become the royal jeweler of the royal families of European countries.
In order to ensure the quality of jewelry, Cartier’s curiosity about the world has never died out due to the lack of transportation. Cartier is a visionary traveler. Since the end of the 19th century, Louis Cartier and his brothers have traveled far to India, East Asian countries and Russia, drawing inspiration from various cultures and creating countless exotic boutiques, which are popular. in the world.
The ancient and mysterious India has always attracted the attention of Cartier. In 1911, Jacques Cartier officially set foot on the vast land of India with a group of carefully crafted pocket watches with the curiosity to explore the unknown. Cartier’s “India Discovery Journey” set sail from this.
Jacques Cartier traveled all over the Indian continent. Along the way, Jacques went through Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta… and constantly obtained the inspiration of Indian civilization. Jacques took countless photos to record this unknown and mysterious world. At the same time, he diligently scours for local rare gems and antique jewellery to ship back to his London studio to be designed or retouched.
After hearing the news, the Indian monarchs scrambled to order works from him. When princes and nobles commissioned Cartier to transform their gold jewelry into platinum jewelry, Cartier also developed a strong interest in traditional Indian crafts.
India’s approach to gem cutting is unique: rubies and emeralds are ribbed or patterned, while pear-cut and rose-cut diamonds are even more ingenious. From Jaipur, India, the Jaipur enamel small dish decorated with red, green and white flowers and birds fully demonstrates the long history of its craftsmanship.
Since the creation of the first Indian jewelry, Cartier has forged an indissoluble bond with India, a country full of legends and charm. Here, Cartier heard the love story that belonged to Shaga Khan and Taj, saw the “Bollywood” with singing, dancing and luxurious dreams, and felt the sacredness of the sun god “Suriya” and the goddess “Aspala”. “The beauty and elegance of the dance, the seductive charm of the graceful dance… Many typical Indian elements and colorful gems, in the eyes of Cartier, seem traditional, but are full of infinite novelty and creative magic, and passion bursts from this.
Cartier is ingenious, or engraving the Hindu ascetic gods – Shiva and Parvati sitting on a tiger-skin armchair on a piece of emerald, or inlaid enamel plates on the hard and patterned exterior of vanity and cigarette boxes. On the frame, create exquisite and gorgeous works. This fusion of East and West seemed very bold and trendy in the early 20th century. Cartier is free to sway in this land full of spirituality and freedom. In smooth lines and clear colors, Cartier interprets the true meaning of beauty – beauty lies in simplicity rather than complexity, harmony rather than conflict.
In 1925, Sir Bupinda Singh, the lord of Punjab, the largest state in India, commissioned Cartier to customize a necklace for his enthronement. The Punjab lord himself came to see Jacques Cartier with a box. When the lid of the box was opened, a 234.69-carat rare yellow diamond and many dazzling diamonds over 18 carats were revealed, which amazed everyone present. In order to display endless wealth and supreme power at his enthronement ceremony, Sir Singer asked Cartier to customize a unique necklace with 2,930 diamonds totaling nearly 1,000 carats.
Starting in 1925, it took Cartier three years to finally create a Patiala necklace that is breathtaking in the world. Seven large white diamonds ranging from 18 carats to 73 carats are set in sequence on five extremely luxurious and artistic white gold chains. The center of the necklace is inlaid with the giant yellow diamond weighing 234.69 carats. In addition, the necklace is also inlaid with an 18-carat light brown diamond and two rubies totaling 29.58 carats, making the whole piece even more radiant. The Patiala necklace is regarded as the most glorious classic in the history of Indian jewellery.
This necklace, named after Patiala, the capital of Punjab, not only reflects the elegance and romance of French culture, but also continues the French’s extreme rigor in quality and infinite creativity in design. It is the largest necklace in the history of modern jewelry. , is also one of Cartier’s most proud works.
However, Sir Bupinda Singh paid nothing to make it – Cartier was paid only for permission to display the necklace publicly in its store for three years.
In the eyes of the Maharajas of the Far East, Cartier’s works have diverse charm and profound heritage, which are not only symbols of status and wealth, but also the best carrier of love. Therefore, in order to win the joy of beauty, Maharajas have invited Cartier to be their Create a token of love.
In 1934, Aga Khan III ordered a Cartier diamond lotus platinum crown for his beloved wife, Princess Andrei as a gift. In 1957, Prince Aconque also presented his beloved Princess Nina with a set of Cartier jaguar jewels, including two bracelets, a clip-on brooch and a pleated pin. One of the ingenious bracelets, each leopard head can be removed to wear as earrings, or embedded in evening handbags as handles.
Each treasure is unique
When a wave of advocating Indian style was born in the Western fashion industry, Westerners began to be obsessed with the splendor of the ancient Orient. They were fascinated by the Kashmir sapphires, Burmese rubies, ornately carved Mughal emeralds and other Indian gems that Cartier brought back.
This further inspired Cartier’s desire to explore the splendid and flamboyant style of India. Cartier regards India as a magical continent shining with divine brilliance and fashion. India is like a cradle full of brilliant jewels, which provides infinite imagination for its creation.
Indian state lords came one after another, bringing with them money, gems, taste, admiration for the West and a desire for jewels and accessories. The handsome princes are deeply fascinated by Paris and Cartier, and the word “Cartier” has become their mantra when talking about fashion and the magic law of fashion interpretation in their hearts. For these princes and dignitaries, their demands for beauty and luxury are endless, and they are generous and generous.
With the stability of the customer and the maturity of the time, Cartier established a branch in Mumbai. The wealthy Indian monarchs have handed over their family heirlooms to Cartier, and commissioned the Cartier boutique in Paris to remake their family’s treasures in order to keep up with the latest trends.
The challenge of Jamsa Black, the state lord from Navana Gap, is undoubtedly one of the greatest challenges Jacques Cartier has ever faced in his life. Jamsakhe’s demanding demands were also to be expected, as he was one of the most well-known cricketers in the Empire on which the sun never sets, before taking the throne in 1907.
One day in the winter of 1931, as soon as Jamsahe entered the door, before he could sit down, he placed a jewelry box on Jacques Cartier’s leather-covered table. One of the most beautiful and finest diamonds ever, the “Queen of Holland” – a 136-carat, flawless diamond, the tenth largest D-color diamond in the world. As a D color diamond with exceptional clarity, it is clearly a Type IIa diamond, which is included in 2% of diamonds worldwide. This type of diamond is considered to be the purest diamond in the world.
Its extremely white chroma and brightness made the connoisseurs agree that it has the characteristics of the Golconda diamond, a famous Indian mine that had been exhausted at the end of the 18th century. In 1904, the Dutch company F. Friedman bought the diamond, cut it in Amsterdam, and named it “Queen of the Netherlands” in honor of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands.
How to vividly display the characteristics of this rare diamond is a test for Jacques Cartier. In fact, as early as five years ago, the Lord of Jamsa Black State had given Cartier a difficult task: to design a unique necklace for celebrations in the world. At that time, the state master chose a 70-carat emerald as the central gemstone, which was from the collection of the Turkish Sultan and was the size of an almond. Cartier rose to meet this unique commission, and designed a piece that is both elegant and masculine in a retro style. The 70-carat emerald is set at one end in a pyramid-shaped pendant, surrounded by 16 other emeralds totalling 150 carats, each set on a thick diamond link.
”But the new celebration necklace of the ‘Queen of the Netherlands’ has to match the first necklace, preferably surpass it,” Jamsahe told Jacques Cartier.
A few weeks after meeting Jamsahe, Jacques showed him his unique idea.
”In order to set off the perfect whiteness and brightness of the ‘Queen of the Netherlands’, the only way is to surround it with the world’s finest colored diamond waterfalls.” Jacques danced, his eyes sparkling: “The size of 46 waterfalls like The hazelnut-like white diamonds are set in two rows, with two brilliant baguette-cut pink diamonds of 13 carats and 14 carats connected in the middle respectively; let the ‘Queen of the Netherlands’ hang naturally gorgeously in the center, surrounded by 6 brilliant diamonds A rainbow of diamonds.”
The 6 brilliant diamonds that make up the rainbow around the “Queen of Holland” are of different colors. Three of the pink diamonds weigh 9.50 carats, 15 carats and 22.97 carats; one blue diamond weighs 26 carats; one green diamond weighs 13 carats; and one red diamond weighs 2.34 carats.
Judging from the sky-high prices created by colored diamonds at international auctions, it is impossible for such a piece to have the opportunity to be copied again. Unexpectedly, after only two years of wearing it, Jamsa Black State Lord will never be able to wear this unparalleled waterfall colored diamond again. Because in 1933, two years after he received the necklace, he died.
But the friendship between Cartier and the Navanagar family did not end, and the third challenge was waiting for Jacques Cartier. In the third year of his succession, the new Lord of Navanagarbong, Divega Singhi, commissioned Cartier to create a third necklace for the celebration. This time, the protagonist is the world’s finest rubies – 116 deep red gems from the famous Mogu mine in Myanmar, which have been lying quietly in the treasure house of Navanagar for more than a century.
Cartier did not disappoint Divega Hinghi, who did the same job well.
It is worth mentioning that the third Navanagar necklace made by Seiko has been well preserved, which is also the only surviving necklace of his family. This Navanagar necklace was later collected by the heirs of a prominent European family. Soon after, Cartier bought back the Navanagar necklace from a jewelry broker, and after restoration in the Cartier workshop, the rarity is now in the possession of a new American mistress.
The reason why Cartier jewelry full of Indian style has become a handed down treasure, its rarity lies in the inspiration of the design and the precious and rare raw materials. Most importantly, every piece of jewelry is unique.
Although
the orders from the Indian royal family continue to come in, Cartier has not given up the pursuit of innovation because of this. On the contrary, Cartier has always interpreted India attentively, extracted the essence of its long-standing culture and traditional craftsmanship, and skillfully combined advanced Western inlay technology and modern style to create many amazing works that will last forever.
In 1908, Cartier purchased a diamond “Pear of India” from the merchant Ekoneyan. The 94.80-carat diamond may be older than the “Mountain of Light” set in Queen Victoria’s crown.
The “Pear of India” got its name because it was shaped into a pear. Legend has it that in the 12th century, a 157-carat rough diamond was found in India, from which the 94.80-carat pear-shaped diamond was cut. Elinor, Queen of France and later Queen of England, brought the diamond “Pear of India” to England. It is said that in 1189, King Richard I the Lionheart of England wore the “Pear of India” with him when he participated in the Third Crusade. Since then, the “Pear of India” has been silent for nearly 400 years. The “Pear of India” reappeared in the 16th century, when King Henry of France gave the diamond to his mistress Puyté.
After purchasing the Pear of India, Cartier created a pendant with a baguette-cut diamond and a pearl weighing 126 grains (8.16 grams). The two diamonds echo each other like the sun and the moon, and complement each other, so that they no longer have any defects, but become complete and complete. The 196 facets on the “Pear of India” diamond are breathtaking. The “Pear of India” has become an extraordinary piece of jewelry, and it is also an extremely luxurious ornament.
In 1909, an American newlyweds came to Paris for their honeymoon. The two young men each carried $1 million in gifts from their parents. The father of the young man was a publishing magnate, while the father of the young woman was a mining magnate.
When they both stood in front of the counter of the Cartier jewelry store, when Mr. Cartier showed the bride the 94.80-carat pear-shaped diamond, the bride who loved jewelry widened her eyes and said to her husband: “My dear, this diamond Diamonds make my head spin, it’s so fascinating.”
The young man said, “Honey, ask about the price, and you will wake up.” The young man has already heard about the “Pear of India”.
Cartier quoted the price, and the young lady took out her and her husband’s wallets without hesitation, and bought this large D-color pear-shaped diamond for $1.27 million, leaving the stunned new husband aside.
The bride is Mrs. Macleigh.
This jewelry is literally tailor-made for her. As soon as the “Pear of India” was hung on Mrs. Macleine’s chest, she immediately radiated a breathtaking light from the beautiful body, which made Mrs. Macleine more solemn; Mrs. Macleine walked, The gait is whirling, more graceful and luxurious. It is said that the term “jewelry” was invented for Mrs. Macleigh.
Later, this huge diamond was transferred to the famous American jeweler Harry Winston. In 1951, King Farouk of Egypt was newly married and invited the Winstons to the palace for dinner. Winston drank and chatted with the king until dawn.
Winston couldn’t help showing the 94.80-carat pear-shaped diamond to the king, and told the origin of the diamond.
The king of Egypt was very excited after hearing this. He was standing in front of the window with a diamond in his hand, and the “Pear of India” was shining brightly in the morning light.
The king of Egypt looked at his new wife, and said something in his mouth: “The star of the diamond is the queen’s beautiful eyes; behold, the star of the diamond, the dawn of the East, the receding star, and the great Cartier, they complement each other… ah My Oriental Star.” Since then, “Oriental Star” has become another name for this diamond. When the king
of Egypt put the stunning Cartier “Oriental Star” on the chest of his splendid new wife, the air in the palace seemed to freeze, and everyone present held their breath…
How not to let Harry Winston take away the “Oriental Star”, the two sides sold for $2.125 million.
In 2001, Cartier bought back the “Oriental Star” with huge sums of money and put it in the Cartier head office in France as a treasure of the town store. Since then, the “Pear of India” has ended his wandering career.
In 1991, Cartier exhibited a collection titled “The Road to India”, in which the elephant became the paramount protagonist. In 2000, when Cartier recreated the necklace worn by the Lord of Punjab, Sir Bupinda Singh, at a banquet, the magical light of ancient Indian civilization was revived.
Contemporary India is vibrant, serene and sacred. This sensual and mysterious country can always bring surprises and admiration to Cartier. The newly launched Cartier “Mysterious India” high-end jewelry boutique, just like its noble and elegant figure on the luxury stage of the past, releases a modern atmosphere, while still clinging to the eternal dream. Many of these are unique treasures in the world, crafted in Cartier’s Paris High Jewellery workshop, the brainchild of the best craftsmen in France and around the world for months, if not years.
”Perhaps, this is the most extravagant creation of God!” The profound historical implications and brilliance of ancient civilizations hidden behind these treasures make people sigh repeatedly.
Two completely different worlds, India and the West, blend in the ever-changing gemstones and the perfect and exquisite setting craftsmanship.
