Cover Cartier &
Women exhibition
Cartier & Women exhibition
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Cartier and The Hong Kong Palace Museum unveil the empowering journey of women’s jewellery from status symbols to expressions of power
Jewellery has always been inextricably linked to the lives, fates and fortunes of women. Over time, what it represents has transformed, from being mere markers of marital status or symbols of familial wealth to eventually expressions of feminine autonomy, freedom and influence. In this context, Cartier, one of the world’s most prominent jewellers, in collaboration with The Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM), tells the narrative of how women on the cusps of societal movements and developments, exercised power through the pieces they’ve commissioned, created and collected.
The Cartier and Women exhibition is told through the lens of notable collectors from the 19th century onwards. Walking through the show is like walking through a mirror of societal changes and women’s desires, as seen through the lives of icons such as the Duchess of Windsor, the Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly and modern-day celebrities and collectors like Brigitte Lin and Carina Lau.
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“Asking what Cartier would be without women is like asking what the world would be without trees. Trees appeared on earth 350 million years ago. They produce oxygen, which created the atmosphere in which species like human beings could exist. Cartier simply would not exist without women,” says Cyrille Vigneron, Cartier’s president and chief executive officer. “Exploring the relationship between Cartier and women is a journey inside the human psyche, our nature and condition, our love and desire, our dreams and our rituals.”
The exhibition engages and inspires with its collection of around 300 treasures from the 19th century to the present day, including jewellery, clocks, valuable objects, accessories, and archival records.
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While the exhibition focuses on women, Cartier emphasises that it neither caters to nor “has a conventional view on women or men.” Above all, it places a strong emphasis on character and personality, which is evident throughout its collections. Cartier and HKPM do a successful job of humanising the pieces in the window displays, emphasising the human dimension and presenting them in specific contexts and how they were used to express particular moments in a personality’s life.
A Cartier tiara on loan from actress Carina Lau
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The show, which is divided into four thematic areas, takes viewers on a journey through enthralling stories that intersect with these precious gems. Cartier and Women is open to the public from now through August 14, 2023 at the HKPM where visitors can find themselves up close and personal with these gems owned by some of the most iconic beauties in history.
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Here are some of the iconic pieces through the decades on display.
A Chinese vanity piece (1928)
Above A Cartier vanity piece
A Cartier vanity piece
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Chinese designs and motifs, as well as Chinese techniques and materials, have been studied and creatively used by Cartier designers. This Chinese vanity piece is made of gold, platinum, mother-of-pearl, coral, sapphires, turquoise, onyx, aventurine, jade, emerald matrix, diamonds, and black enamel.
A wedding gift for "poor little rich girl" American heiress (1934)
Above A Cartier jadeite necklace for Barbara Hutton
A Cartier jadeite necklace for Barbara Hutton
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At the ripe old age of 21, multiple inheritances made Barbara Hutton one of the richest women in the world. Since that time, she has been married and divorced a total of seven times.
She obtained this jadeite necklace as one of the bridal presents during her first marriage to Russian Prince Alexis Mdivani in 1933. The necklace is composed of 27 identical jadeite beads, and it has a diamond and ruby clasp.
A pair of tiger pendant ear clips (1961)
Above Cartier tiger ear clips custom-made for Barbara Hutton
Cartier tiger ear clips custom-made for Barbara Hutton
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Gold, diamonds, emeralds and onyx ear clips, a special order from Barbara Hutton, heiress of the American retail business Woolworth.
Pansy Ho's emerald and diamond tiara (2012)
Above A Cartier emerald and diamond tiara
A Cartier emerald and diamond tiara
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A businesswoman in her own right, Pansy Ho is the daughter of casino magnate Stanley Ho. The tiara has a diamond-knotted design with an emerald in the centrepiece that is carved and can be removed to be worn as a brooch.
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Lynette loves travelling and dancing to Latin music almost as much as she enjoys period films and pastry desserts. She is constantly in search of the perfect nude lipstick and finds her best ideas through walks in nature.
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As the Editor-in-Chief of Tatler Malaysia, Lynette leads the content teams for print, digital and social media platforms of the brand. She has over 20 years experience in media, having been editorial director and editor-in-chief for lifestyle titles such as Cleo, ELLE, Esquire, Men’s Health, and Women’s Health.
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