Designed as a parrot, feathers set with brilliant-cut diamonds
Highlighted by twenty-eight ruby beads on body, with two emerald-set eyes and mother-of-pearl beak
18 karat white gold
French assay mark
Signed Cartier and numbered BSW484
Size 4
With signed ring box and a Cartier certificate
Catalogue Essay
Les Oiseaux Libérés is one of the signature designs of Cartier, designed in 1942 when people were yearning for freedom and peace. Throughout the time, this cheerful bird is still a symbol of optimism and liveliness.
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.