For a long time, no Cartier high jewelry collection has attracted as much attention as Le voyage recommencé. Everything – from 90 pieces of jewelry decorated with stones and gems, to an elegant evening celebration at Palazzo Corsini in Florence, A – list stars guests, to an exclusive exhibition in the Tuscan Villa Reale di Marlia, staged by the Spanish architect and designer Patricia Urquiola – can be described in one word: impressive.
The world of nature and different cultures have always inspired the designers of Cartier’s dazzling creations, and in this collection, classics from the rich house archive have been given a new exciting angle. At the same time, the recognizable strong identity of Parisian jewelers was maintained, woven from the harmony of different geometric shapes and contrasts. Symmetry and asymmetry, softness and sharpness of forms, bright colors of turquoise, ruby and spinel against diamonds, black and red, white and black, the play of light and shadow… these are just some of the contrasts in the Le voyage recommencé collection.
The journey could hardly have started more attractively. To display more than 300 pieces of jewelry placed in 80 display cases, Patricia Urquiola chose the recently restored Villa Reale di Marlia in the city of Lucca, the former residence of Napoleon’s sister Elisa, surrounded by the picturesque hills of Tuscany. The most impressive part of the sophisticated lineup belongs to the stunning Le voyage recommencé collection.
Palazzo Corsini was an equally attractive stage for these precious creations. This rare baroque palace in Renaissance Florence is full of original frescoes and works by the most important Italian painters of the 17th and 18th centuries, and its luxurious garden has gathered great film and music stars, ambassadors and friends of the Cartier brand: Gongi Li, Elle Fanning, Adrien Brody, Labrinth, Deepika Padukone, Pom Klementieff and Stephane Bak. The latter trio shot an exclusive editorial, wearing selected necklaces, rings and brooches from the new collection.
Deepika Padukone, an Indian actress and model born in Denmark has starred in thirty films, and 75 million people follow her on Instagram. Forbes magazine included her in the list of the 10 best-paid actresses in the world. Deepika Padukone was presented with the Leadership in Rising Mental Health Awareness award at the World Economic Forum in Davos. On her hand sparkles an Ondule diamond-encrusted ring, with a prominent grey-violet diamond in the center, exceptional in weight of 0.92 carats and rare in colour. To enhance its shine, it is additionally surrounded by diamonds in the shape of a half moon.
The Panthère givré necklace is a new interpretation of the famous Cartier feline. Back in 1914, Louis Cartier decorated a platinum, diamond and onyx watch with a pattern of panther fur. In 1933, Jeanne Toussaint, the legendary creative director of Cartier, borrowed the panther and created an icon, adored by independent, liberal women. The new interpretation of Cartier’s feline is dominated by three aquamarines with a total weight of 20.33 carats, and the head and torso are a combination of diamonds and onyx.
The French actress Pom Klementieff, born in Canada in 1966, is present in two hit films this year: Mission Impossible and Guardians of the Galaxy. Pom Klementieff wears the Art Deco-inspired Claustra necklace, which intertwines geometric shapes and a black-and-white pattern of diamonds and onyx, with the 4.02 carat centerpiece being a standout. The technically very demanding necklace is structured in two parts, so that each can be worn separately.
The Pandjara necklace is a tribute to the art of Islam, which Louis Cartier discovered in 1903 at an exhibition in Paris. Since then, the motifs of Islamic art and architecture have permeated Cartier’s jewelry collections, and on Pandjara, the play of light and shadow is dominated by a yellow-brown diamond.
The films Asteroid City, The French Dispatch and Little Twist brought world fame to the French-Congolese actor and comedian Stephane Bak and opened him the door to collaborate with top luxury Maison. Experimentation with combinations of blue and green precious stones, known in jewelry as the peacock motif, was encouraged by Louis Cartier as early as 1910. On the brooch from the Le Voyage Recommence collection, worn by Bak, it took on a new dimension.
After this sumptuous exhibition is visited by the top clients of the Cartier Maison, the most impressive examples of necklaces, rings and earrings will also shine at the film festival in Venice, from August 30 to September 9. They will end their journey in Italy the following year at the Homo Faber cultural event that promotes the supreme skill and beauty of handcraft.
Text Dubravka Tomeković Aralica
Photos Johan Sandberg, Cartier
Video Cartier
