By Paige Reddinger Watch & Jewelry EditorPaige Reddinger
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Cartier
From a brooch meant to claw at your lapel to a gem-set Carabiner and jeweled sunglasses, Cartier’s new Cartier Libre Polymorph collection is chock full of cool collectibles.
The carabiner is, of course, the standout. It’s an extension of the ongoing hardware theme at the house, which first began with Cartier designer Aldo Cipullo debuting the now pervasive Love bracelet in the late 1960s. Beyond its obviously striking design, the carabiner is made even more hip by the way Cartier suggests wearing it: attached to your belt loop. Throw that in with a diamond, onyx, and moonstone claw brooch—a new take on the Panthère that doubles as a secret watch—and a pair of sunglasses decked in coral, emeralds, diamonds, and onyx that hang from the back of the stems like earrings, and it’s just about one of the most fun collections we’ve seen from the luxury brand. What could be more decadently luxe than high jewelry brooches or a belt-loop accessory fitted with the time, which will, most certainly, never be checked? These quirky gems feel hip and fresh (even if it’s not the first time we’ve seen a watch brooch or a carabiner in jewelry) in a way that is not often seen in the high jewelry realm save perhaps, for Boucheron.
Cartier Claws Out Brooch
This clever brooch is meant to claw at the side of a lapel in a nod to a singular apendage of themaison‘s perennial mascot, the Panthère. Beneath one claw lies hidden a watch. It comes with snow-set diamonds, onyx, and moonstones.
Cartier Carabiner
Hardware has been a consistent theme at Cartier since Aldo Cipullo designed the house’s now pervasive Love bracelet in 1969, inspired by screws. It was later followed by Juste un Clou in 1971, a bracelet shaped like a nail that curves around the wrist. Écrou de Cartier, bracelets inspired by bolts and screws, came in 2017. Now Cartier is making a high jewelry moment out of a carabiner. Meant to be worn clipped to a belt loop, it comes set with emeralds, rubies, lapis-lazuli, onyx, black spinel, turquoise, chrysoprase, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds.
We’ve seen carabiners before in jewelry. Jeweler Marla Aaron has been making them for some time in a fine jewelry setting, but this is the first high jewelry take on the mountain climbing accessory. Cartier’s sketches show it worn on a belt loop rather than around the neck, and in that light, it certainly takes on an entirely new look.
Cartier Watch Brooch
Decked in a classic Art Deco color scheme that is often prevalent in Cartier collections, this brooch is set with hand-cut onyx, ruby, chrysophase, emerald, coral, black and pink spinel, turquoise, spessartite garnet, and diamonds. It also doubles as a clock.
Cartier Libre Polymorph Bracelet
This is Cartier at its best. Inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi, which uses urushi lacquer mixed with powdered gold (originally used as a beautiful way to repair broken pottery in the earthquake-prone country), this bracelet uses custom-cut onyx, lapis-lazuli, black opals, sapphires, diamonds, emeralds, and traces of 18-karat gold to shed a new light on the ancient practice. The shape of the bracelet has been used at Cartier since the 1930s.
A second bracelet, not available at press time, is set in the same vein but with sugilite, rubies, amethysts, black opals with red accents, amethysts, and diamonds for an absolutely stunning combination.
Cartier Libre Polymorph Sunglasses
Not just any pair of sunglasses will do. If you need to up the ante or show up some well-heeled friends, this pair comes adorned with Cartier’s signature watermelon color combo of coral, onyx, diamonds, and emeralds. Throwing shade never looked so good.
Cartier Celestial Encounter Ring
This ring comes with four rotating discs of white gold set with diamonds and onyx. The discs can be moved to unfold across the hand or worn in a more traditional cluster like a typical cocktail ring. Style it as you please.
Cartier From Sunrise to Sunset Bracelet
The sun has long been an inspiration for design for thousands of years, but Cartier has put a new spin on the celestial star. The spheres of this gold bracelet are meant to evoke the colors and shape of the sun as it moves from sunrise to sunset. It is set with pink chalcedony, orange moonstone, palmeira citrine, Madeira orange citrine, intense fire opal, spessartite garnet, pink and yellow sapphires, diamonds, and an orange rutilated quartz at the tip.
Authors
Paige Reddinger
Watch & Jewelry Editor
As Robb Report's watch editor, Reddinger is immersed in all things horological. She has visited the top manufacturers in Switzerland and Germany, attended high-profile auctions and met with nearly…
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