Cartier - Jewels & Jadeite Hong Kong Sunday, May 28, 2017 | Phillips

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    • Signed Monture Cartier

    • Size 5½ (with ring guard)

  • Catalogue Essay

    Ever since late 19th century, Cartier has been one of the most renowned European jewellery houses. Her dedication to quality and craftsmanship, plus endless new inspirations, became the hallmarks of Cartier’s jewels and objects. The present ring is a great example of an acclaimed creation of this reputed jeweller in 1950s.
    Moving away from the angular geometric style of previous decade, the fashion of massive ring continued in the 1950s and inclined towards curved and rounded form. Instead of large metallic surfaces, new design was often entirely pavé-set with tiny gemstones or diamonds. The present ring shows an innovative interpretation of the era. Of iconic retro ring style, it is set with three important stones including an internally flawless D-colour diamond of 5.31 carats and two matching Colombian, no-oil emeralds of over 4 carats each, built high off the finger. Possibly inspired by the Egyptian revival designs, the gallery of this ring resembles the wings of the scarab beetle. Fluted lines of gold which comprise the ring mount further echoes this motif.
    Throughout the history, many important pieces of jewellery made by Cartier were those designed and mounted specifically for clients by special order. To commission a jewel by Cartier is, after all, to immortalize the desires, tastes and whims of a particular individual within a jewels that forever bears the prestige of the Cartier name.

  • Artist Biography

    Cartier

    French

    With the Constitution of 1848 came a new standard for luxury in France. Founded one year prior by Louis-Francois Cartier, the house of Cartier was one of the first to use platinum in jewelry making. This incredibly expensive material became the stepping-stone for Cartier to experiment in form, mechanisms and attitude. It helped men move from pocket watches to wristwatches, effectively making the watch much more functional and prominent in a man's overall wardrobe.

    Cartier did not only touch on functionality. Inspired by a commissioned painting by George Barbier featuring a black panther at the feet of an elegantly bejeweled woman, Cartier began incorporating wild animals in his designs—most notably, Cartier Panthère rings, bangle bracelets and watches. Yet it wasn't until the late 1960s that the house of Cartier debuted their iconic yellow and rose gold LOVE collection, which includes the famous bracelet that only a special screwdriver can open. 

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640

A Diamond and Emerald Ring, Monture Cartier, Circa 1950

Signed Monture Cartier
Size 5½ (with ring guard)

Estimate
HK$3,600,000 - 4,500,000 
$460,000-580,000

Sold for HK$4,880,000

Contact Specialist
Terry Chu
Head of Jewellery, Asia, Senior Director
+852 2318 2038

Jewels & Jadeite

Hong Kong Auction 29 May 2017