Etourdissant means astonishing but also defines Cartier‘s latest high jewelry collection. Extraordinary gems, colorful hues, historical stones. Etourdissant de Cartier overlooks some rare beauty and brings us back to a little bit of summer.
Overlooking the warm sunset of the Mediterranean sea recalls an air of holidays. Long gone if you ask…
Because it only takes exuberance in color and light to give back a hint of summer, Cartier and their new High Jewelry Collection is as stunning as it is Etourdissant.
It is in Cap d’Antibes, South of France that Cartier chose to unveil its latest high Jewelry collection, a unique collection of jewelry pieces paying tribute to the Maison’s rich heritage and love of experimentation.
Loyal to its conceptual traditions, there is no prevailing motif, but an array of spectacular and vivid diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, and rubies to colorful opals, corals, tanzanites, garnet, and chrysoprase grouped together in sunny, light-infused and extraordinary compositions.
The most spectacular piece of the collection was the Romanov bracelet combining a fascinating past history as it was worn by the Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, the Empress of Russia and dazzling gem caracteristics in which the diamond cuff is adorned by a majestic 197.80-carat cushion-shaped Ceylon sapphire. The bracelet was one of the first items to be snatched at the unveiling by a private buyer.
Part of the Etourdissant collection’s components are the use of coral. Often overlooked in the world of haute jewelry in favor of more lavish and expensive materials, the orange/ salmon pinkish stone can somehow be left behind unless set in the Flamboyant Ring where Cartier makes it work. The dynamic composition features a 30.19-carat coral bead in its centre, surrounded by green Zambian emeralds, diamonds and onyx.
If headbands may have lost their popularity in recent years, the multifaceted Tutti-Frutti Cartier Headband is bound to change that. A nod to the 20s, the signature mix of sapphires, rubies and emeralds known as Tutti Frutti that Cartier developed, the piece combines utility and bohemian style – it can be worn as either a bracelet or choker. The centrepiece is a 18.23 carat carved emerald that is surrounded by colorful carved berry-like beads of ruby, emerald, and sapphires.
Another awe-inspiring piece from the Étourdissant collection is the elegant Garance ruby necklace. Its beautiful knotted detail is perfectly complemented by the delicate luminance of the brilliant-cut diamonds. Set with a total of two platinum rubies – one 5.27-carat and one 5.02-carat cushion-shaped from Mozambique and twenty-six round and oval-shaped rubies from Burma the jewel transforms into a stunning masterpiece.
The Violine Long necklace is a sophisticated and enchantingly different Back necklace made of platinum, chalcedonies, amethysts and diamonds. It is the epitome of the powerful combination of vibrant colours with gentle and delicate hues that reflects the creativity and expertise of the French Maison.
Throughout the collection the lavish use of diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds is very prominent, as evidenced by the Ete Indien bracelet. Swirls of garnets, tsavorites, colored sapphires and diamonds surround a single glowing opal from Ethopia, complementing its delicate nuance. A piece that plays on the power of contrasts… for a perfect Indian summer.
Another flamboyant design that perfectly echoed the multifaceted allure of the French Riviera was the Lagon bracelet with its platinum, one 85.42-carat oval-shaped cabochon-cut black opal accentuated by an array of intricate sapphire beads, long emerald beads, Paraiba tourmalines, and luminous diamonds.
The Étourdissant jewelry collection remains one of the highpoints of the haute-jewelry world in the summer of 2015 as it truly reflects Cartier’s pulse on accessories, offering a modern, one-of-a-kind, iconic and vibrant designs that make a statement.
Every piece in the collection dazzles with its edgy design, exuberant beauty and play on light – qualities that merge the classic chic and cutting edge aesthetic of contemporary jewelry in an iconic way.
