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History of Cartier
Cartier was founded in 1847 by Louis-Francois Cartier. The Parisian jewelry brand Cartier has dominated international jewelry design in the early 20th century under the auspices of his three enterprising sons: Louis Cartier in Paris, Pierre Cartier in New York and Jacques Cartier in London.
With a roster of visionary designers such as Charles Jacqueau, Pierre Lemarch and and enigmatic creative director Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier’s designs articulated a wide range of influences into highly original and elegant jewels that defined their eras. Their ‘Tutti Frutti’ pieces brought carved emeralds, rubies and sapphires adapted from Indian jewels together in riotous combination from the mid 1920s, while their opulent ‘big cat’ jewels draped themselves across such legendary collectors as Barbara Hutton and the Duchess of Windsor, and became the house’s most beloved mascots.
When tracing the history of Cartier’s iconic jewelry design style, there is one name that continually emerges as the ultimate tastemaker: Jeanne Toussaint. Born in Belgium in 1887, Toussaint survived a challenging childhood and later found herself drawn to the intoxicating streets of Paris, where art, design and societal connections were currency. As a young woman Toussaint became known as a stylish and creative ingénue. It was this charisma that attracted infamous fashion designer, Coco Chanel, illustrator George Barbier, and most crucially, Louis Cartier, one of three brothers managing his late grandfather’s company, Cartier.
In 1913, Louis Cartier commissioned Barbier to draw an advertising campaign to reflect a modern, worldly and alluring woman. The resulting image - Dame à la Panthère - reflects the shift towards Art Deco styling, with an elegant model, adorned with long sautoir necklaces and pearls with a sleek black cat at her feet. It is this drawing that is thought to be the first connection between Cartier and its iconic animal: the panther.
According to some, Louis chose the panther in tribute to Toussaint, who he called his ‘Petite Pantheré (she also famously wore a full-length coat made of panther fur). By the close of 1913, Toussaint had been hired by Cartier to be its director of bags, accessories and objects.
Toussaint stepped away from Art Deco and entered the 1940s with a passion for sculptural and three-dimensional panther creations, typically set with white and yellow diamonds, emeralds and onyx. The first La Pantheré jewel – a gold and enamel panther brooch set with a cabochon emerald – was crafted for the Duchess of Windsor, Wallace Simpson, in 1948. The success of this piece set off a chain reaction, making Cartier Pantheré rings, drop earrings and pendants hugely desirable among European and American elite.
The working relationship between Louis Cartier and Toussaint continued, with Cartier imparting his knowledge of gemstones, diamonds, settings and technique, and Toussaint bringing her joie de vivre, relentless creativity and eye for contemporary fashions, especially the graphic and geometric Art Deco movement. In 1933, Toussaint was named director of Cartier’s luxury jewelry department, signalling one of the most recognisable and collectible eras in the house’s history.
When she wasn’t creating a menagerie of jewels, Toussaint pursued her fascination with India and revealed pieces evocative of Indian Mughal jewelry and ancient Maharajas. Artfully carved rubies, emeralds, diamonds and sapphires led to a revival of ‘Tutti Frutti’ jewellery under Toussaint’s meticulous direction in the late 1950s. An exceptional example of this design recently sold at Sotheby's in New York for $1,340,000 in April 2020, more than doubling its pre-sale estimate.
By the time she retired from Cartier in 1970, Toussaint had established her legacy as an artistic visionary; always experimenting, exploring and creating jewels for those with a worldly outlook and an eye on the future. Her professional fixation with exotic big cats, especially the panther, resulted in the animal becoming a recognizable symbol of Cartier, both then and now.
Cartier Jewelry Secondary Market
Sotheby's sold over $30 million or over 1,000 Cartier jewelry peices in 2023. Buyers can purchase Cartier at one of the many global auctions or on its Buy Now marketplace. The Cartier jewelry available will vary depending on the sale and location but expect both timeless classics and rare one of kind vintage Cartier jewelry. Sellers that would like an estimate for Cartier jewelry can contact the jewelry department in their region. Sotheby's is accepting both modern and vintage Cartier jewelry for both auction and Buy Now.
Cartier Jewelry Prices
The most expensive Cartier jewelry sold by Sotheby's in 2023 was a dramatic Cartier Tutti Frutti set including a necklace and clip earrings for over $3.3 million or 25,860,000 HKD. Sotheby's sells Cartier jewelry in a wide range of prices including items over $1M to more approachable Cartier bracelets for around $10,000. Browse a Cartier LOVE bracelet, Cartier Panthere ring or Cartier Trinity Necklace between $5,000 to over $50,000. Cartier is one of the most popular brands at Sotheby's so the selection changes very regularly but new items are being accepted regularly.
Buying and Selling Cartier Jewelry At Sotheby's
Sotheby's often has imprressive Cartier jewelry available at auction. Sotheby's also has a curated selection of Cartier jewelry available for immediate purchase. If you would like to view a Cartier jewelry piece, a salon specialist would be happy to assist. Sotheby's is also able to source Cartier bracelets from its global supplier network.
- Explore upcoming jewelry at auctions in New York, London, Switzerland, Paris, and Hong Kong.
- Speak to a Salon Associate in New York, Zurich or Hong Kong to schedule an appointment.
- Speak to a Jewelry Specialist about selling Cartier jewelry.
Trust our worldwide network of leading jewelry specialists from a globally renowned auction house with a 280-year history.
