The articulated tiger clip brooch, Cartier Paris, was sold to Barbara Hutton in 1957. Comprising gold, single and brilliant-cut diamonds ranging from fancy intense yellow to near colorless marquise-shaped, it also has emerald eyes and fancy-shaped onyx making up the stripes. Nick Welsh ©Cartier.

Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue has long been the avenue of elegance, but Cartier bumped up the glamour and glitz tenfold for its exhibition “Cartier’s 100th Anniversary in America.” In 1909, Pierre Cartier opened a flagship boutique in New York City catering to those clients the company had been serving from its Paris locale †the Vanderbilts, the Forbeses and Rockefellers. Not to mention those Americans with the means and fashion sense enough to partake of the glittering array of precious stones showcased in stunning brooches, necklaces, bracelets, watches and other fine jewelry.

This limited exhibition celebrates not only the craftsmanship and design of the Cartier brand, but also Cartier’s relationship with America. According to Frederic du Narp, president and chief executive officer of Cartier North America, “This is why the celebration is very important to Cartier, to showcase to the world, and especially the 300 million Americans, the remarkable heritage we have here. Cartier has been the bridge of culture between France and America.”

The exhibition ran in New York from May 1 to May 21 in Cartier’s landmark Fifth Avenue townhouse †one of the last private mansions to be built in this part of the city. Having opened his initial boutique in 1909, Pierre Cartier purchased the company’s current building in 1917 from banker Morton F. Plant for $100 and a pearl necklace worth $1 million. A portrait of Maisie Plant wearing the double strand necklace of natural pearls is included in the exhibition. The exhibition then moved to Cartier’s Beverly Hills store on Rodeo Drive.

First sold in the Seventeenth Century, the violet-colored Hope diamond was roughly cut and weighed more than 112 carats. In 1910, Evalyn Walsh McLean of Washington D.C., viewed it while in Paris at Cartier. Deciding that she did not like the setting, Pierre Cartier had the diamond reset and took it to the United States where he left it with McLean for a weekend. The sale was completed in 1911 with the diamond mounted as a headpiece amid three tiers of large white diamonds. It later became the pendant on a diamond necklace. Harry Winston Inc of New York City purchased McLean’s entire jewelry collection, including the Hope diamond, from her estate in 1949. For the next ten years, the Hope diamond was shown at many exhibits and charitable events by Harry Winston, until 1958, when it was donated to the Smithsonian Institution. It has left the Smithsonian only a handful of times since it was donated. Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution.

There are 119 pieces in the exhibition, but du Narp notes that quality not quantity is at the core of this display, as there are 1,200 pieces in the company’s private collection. “It’s a meaningful exhibition, which tells exactly what Cartier has been about in North America,” he said. “We have a room dedicated to Hollywood; we have a room dedicated to tycoons; to the pioneers, and this exhibition covers it all. We have the clock that Pierre Cartier offered to Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1943 for the amazing work he was doing around the world to promote peace. This is a true symbol of the celebration of this relationship between France and North America.”

Cartier created its own private collection 40 years ago and is the first brand to be asked by museums to showcase its pieces. The company is currently showcasing 300 items in the National Museum of Tokyo, with designer Yoshioka Tokujin dramatizing the stories of the various articles of jewelry. Cartier’s pieces have also been exhibited at the Kremlin Museum in Moscow, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, among others.

The jewel in the crown on display is the Peregrina necklace. According to du Narp, “You have these pearls from the Sixteenth Century, which went through noble families of Spain, England and France and which Richard Burton bought in 1969 for Elizabeth Taylor. He came to Cartier to create a necklace inspired from one worn in a painting of Queen Mary of England. It is an amazing integration into a contemporary piece, a major accomplishment, and the beauty of this necklace is absolutely incredible.”

This silver, onyx and nephrite eight-day, five-time-zone desk clock by Cartier, circa 1943 ($600,000․1 million), was given as a personal gift by Pierre Cartier to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1943. The FDR Victory Clock is not only an important presidential object, but also a time-keeping masterpiece, made of onyx with nephrite and silver accents and containing a main dial for mean-time in New York/Washington, D.C., and four subsidiary dials, which are labeled to keep time in London/Paris, Berlin/Rome, San Francisco and Tokyo, all important strategic locations for the Allied forces in World War II. Cartier Archives, New York ©Cartier.

Another rare gem, also from Elizabeth Taylor’s vault, is the Taj Mahal diamond that originally belonged to Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who gave it to his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, in 1621. The piece is integrated into a contemporary pendant setting. When asked about giving it to his wife, Richard Burton famously remarked, “I would have liked to buy her the Taj Mahal, but it would cost too much to transport.”

Owing to the firm’s craftsmanship and creativity, Cartier has been serving royalty since the Nineteenth Century. “Cartier was the official jeweler of the crowns,” says du Narp. King Edward VII ordered 27 tiaras for his coronation ceremony in 1902. “When he became the King of England, he said Cartier is the dweller of kings and the king of dwellers. It was most inspiring for Cartier,” observes du Narp.

Hollywood celebrities, being the new royalty, are not without their treasures, and Cartier has assimilated them. As du Narp tells it, “Prince Rainier flew to Los Angeles in 1956 to propose to Grace Kelly with the Cartier Eternity Band. It had rubies and diamonds, the colors of Monaco. But when he saw her, she was surrounded by actresses with major ‘rocks’ on their fingers †stones and huge diamonds. He called Cartier Paris from Los Angeles to order a ten-carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring flanked with two baguettes. She wore this ring all the time and in many films.”

Cartier has been on and off the red carpet since the beginning of filmmaking. The jewelry has adorned Gloria Swanson, Rudolph Valentino and Marilyn Monroe to today’s Eva Mendez, Demi Moore, Elton John and Anne Hathaway. As du Narp acknowledges, “It’s really Cartier of yesterday, Cartier of today and Cartier of the future.”

The Chimera bangle, a carved coral, emerald, sapphire and diamond bracelet highlighted by green, blue and black enamel decoration. Cartier Paris, 1928. Nick Welsh ©Cartier.

Some items stand out as larger than life, whereas others mark a simple moment in a person’s life. The sterling silver cigar box that Pierre Cartier gifted to W.K. Vanderbilt is a reminder that even simple gestures have not gone unnoticed in the Cartier world. The box was a thank you for an excursion around the world on the Vanderbilt yacht in 1929. “Today, you would offer beautiful flowers, but instead he offered this amazing sterling silver cigar box to Mr Vanderbilt. That piece amazes me,” says du Narp.

The exhibition not only highlights the royals and their baubles, but also milestones in history. Cartier has carved its own special niche celebrating major accomplishments through its visionary designs. There is the replica of the engine of Lindberg’s Spirit of St Louis created in Cartier’s High Jewelry workshop in New York in 1927. The Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) model made of yellow gold, white gold, lacquer and red, white and blue enamel applauds the astronauts who first walked on the moon in 1969.

Prince and Princess of Monaco, before their wedding, looking at a Cartier window. ©Roger-Viollet

In 1976, Cartier endeavored to assist New York City by creating a golden apple wherein the leaves are paved with rubies. Opening the apple reveals a mini-apple representing New York City, which can be transformed into a pendant top. It was auctioned off and 100 percent of the proceeds were donated to the city’s tourism organization. At that time, Manhattan’s city’s crime rate was high and the economy in crisis. According to du Narp, “Cartier participated in saving the city. It says so much about Cartier’s concerns of the problems of the world and willingness to give back in America. That’s a strong symbol and is similar to what we have today with the Charity Love Bracelet, which benefits many charities in America.”

The most recent piece in the collection is the Wynn diamond; the largest pear-cut diamond in the world. Las Vegas entrepreneur Steve Wynn worked closely with Cartier artists and designers to set his 231-carat jewel into a necklace. His personal involvement illustrates how closely Cartier works with its clients. “This is essential,” observes du Narp. “Most of the time, these Cartier High Jewelry unique pieces are sold to people who know the brand, who we have been following for many years. If you become comfortable with the brand, it’s an investment for the next generation, so you want to be comfortable with your personal advisor/personal shopper at Cartier.”

Cartier’s unique innovations have catered not just to the elite, but also to the common man and woman for which its Tank Watch design has become a symbol of elegance and style. The first Tank Watch was created in 1917 and offered to American Army General John J. Pershing in recognition of his aid in freeing France after World War I. The square watch was done in the shape of a military tank. On exhibit is Fred Astaire’s 1929 Tank Cintrée wristwatch.

The first location for Cartier in New York City was at 712 Fifth Avenue on the second floor. Cartier Archives ©Cartier.

Cartier’s Triple Crown is also on view †it was absent the weekend of the exhibition’s New York City opening, as the Kentucky Derby was conducted that weekend and the trophy was there. “It has been the more ambitious award in the sports world, because the Triple Crown is the toughest thing to have. In fact, since ’78 no horses could win the Triple Crown made by Cartier. It’s part of history and, again, Cartier celebrating the major accomplishments of pioneers and, in this instance, ambitious sports people,” observes du Narp.

While Cartier was founded in France in 1847, the company’s presence in America over the last 100 years has been a fascinating journey of vision and innovation. The exhibition reveals not only the artistry and the beauty, the craftsmanship, but also the stories behind its creations. As du Narp proudly explains, “It’s amazing that behind the purchase of a piece of jewelry you have moving experiences, you have fascinating lives, celebrations †celebrations of love, celebrations of personal successes. You distinguish that behind them there are incredible stories and that’s as moving as well, because it tells the stories of these clients.” And reveals much about the proud company behind such fabulous creations.

For information, 310-275-4272 or www.cartier.com .

Bvlgari: 125 Years Of Italian Jewels

A necklace in gold with Roman Imperial coins with diamonds. Bulgari Vintage Collection.

ROME, ITALY: Also marking a milestone with a celebratory exhibition this year is the jewelry maker Bulgari. The Italian jeweler and luxury goods retailer has been captivating its clients with its unique European designs for 125 years and is now celebrating the firm’s accomplishments with a retrospective of its brand. The exhibition “Between History and Eternity, Bulgari From 1884′009, 125 Years of Italian Jewels” is currently being conducted at the prestigious Palazzo delle Esposizioni.

On view through September 13, the exhibition explores the evolution of Bulgari design and the most significant chapters of the maker’s history. That history began when the company’s Greek founder, Sotirios Voulgaris (1857‱932), opened his first shop in 1884 on Via Sistina, Rome’s chic road of elegant shops. As Francesco Trapani, chief executive officer of the Bulgari Group, claims, “Celebrating 125 years of activity is a significant achievement that few companies, whether in Italy or abroad, can claim.”

The exhibit is organized into eight chronological galleries, beginning with designs from 1870 to 1910 titled Silver Ornaments made by Georgis and Sotirios Bulgari. The 1950s and 1960s are represented in Bulgari and the Film Industry and The Tremblant Brooches. Bulgari Icons: The Gemme Nummarie, Tubogas, Parentesi, The Snake, and The Logo are explored, as is Eclectic Creativity and The Melone Bag. Other galleries exhibit Opulence and Color from the 1980s, and the final presentation is Twenty-First Century: Contemporary High Jewelry.

Among the items showcased is a collection of silver works from the late Nineteenth Century crafted by Sotirios Bulgari. These artifacts are the only existing examples of Bulgari’s earliest production. Also included are jewels worn by Hollywood icons, such as Anna Magnani, Gina Lolobrigida and Ingrid Bergman. An entire gallery reserved for Elizabeth Taylor’s personal Bulgari collection is also on view.

Bulgari has been applauded for its iconic themes, which are showcased through such designs as the gemme nummarie †or coin jewelry, the serpent motif and the Bulgari logo, all historical classics that Bulgari has masterfully reinterpreted over the years.

Curator Amanda Triossi is the author of two editions of Bulgari (1995 and 2007), the book dedicated to the company’s history. Triossi is also the author of the exhibition catalog, which includes 320 richly illustrated pages of documentation and photographs, published by Skira. This stunning compendium will be available for sale in the United States beginning October 20.

For more information, English.palazzoesposizioni.it or +39 06 39967500.