Cartier has launched a majestic and symbolically powerful collection entitled the Panther Collection, which includes beautiful panther inspired diamond encrusted pieces.
The inspiration for the collection comes from Jeanne Toussaint, a lady who joined the company in the late 1910s and became the muse of Louis Cartier, who gave her the pet name of “Panther” to signify her strong personality and “cat-like outbursts of temper.”
In 1914 Cartier commissioned artist, George Barbier, to create Lady with Panther to serve as an invitation cover for a jewelry exhibition to welcome the entrance of the panther collection into the House of Cartier. In 1947 Cartier created its first fully three-dimensional creation of the animal when the Duke of Windsor placed an order for a panther brooch for the Duchess. One year later the Windsor’s took delivery of a cabochon sapphire of 152.35 carats with a seated diamond panther flecked with sapphire spots.
Only the most skilled craftsmen are able to successfully bring this concept to life the way the Cartier has. The development as a theme is closely woven into the threads of both Cartier’s history and its ongoing creations and is likely to serve as a reminder of the elegance and powerful spirit behind the Cartier name.
