Cover Cartier unveiled chapter two of the En Équilibre high jewellery collection at Aman Summer Palace in Beijing
Cartier unveiled chapter two of the En Équilibre high jewellery collection at Aman Summer Palace in Beijing
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Unveiled in Beijing last November, the second chapter of Cartier’s En Équilibre high jewellery collection explores balance through the interplay of volume, colour and rhythm
There is a particular clarity to Beijing in November. The autumn air is crisp, the skies a striking blue, and golden ginkgo trees line the streets, their leaves drifting to the ground. The city’s measured geometry—its imperial gardens, ordered grids and monumental silhouettes—creates a sense of calm, attuned to a collection built on the principles of equilibrium.
It is here, on the storied grounds of Aman Summer Palace—whose pavilions and courtyards once served as reception spaces for guests of the empress dowager Cixi—that Cartier unveiled the second chapter of its En Équilibre high jewellery collection. Set within sunlight-filled, glasshouse-like structures nestled among centuries‑old corridors and gardens, the exhibition—exclusive to invited guests, including Tatler—offered a privileged view of the maison’s latest exploration of poise and proportion.
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Above Cartier unveiled chapter two of the En Équilibre high jewellery collection at Aman Summer Palace in Beijing
Cartier unveiled chapter two of the En Équilibre high jewellery collection at Aman Summer Palace in Beijing
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Cartier first introduced the En Équilibre high jewellery collection in Stockholm in May last year; in Beijing, the theme evolves, expanding both its visual language and technical ambition. Across more than 480 creations, spanning high jewellery, watches, fine watchmaking and Cartier Tradition pieces, the narrative of balance deepens. At its core, En Équilibre reflects Cartier’s enduring pursuit of harmony, articulated through a dialogue between purity of line, strength of volume and a calibrated interplay of colour.
The maison’s creative philosophy is grounded in the reconciliation of opposing forces: simplicity and extravagance; symmetry countered by intentional asymmetry; solid forms balanced with open space. From this foundation, the Beijing exhibition unfolded through three subthemes—Colours, Rhythm and Volume—each offering a distinct lens on how Cartier interprets equilibrium through material, craft and form.
Above The scenography of the exhibition
The scenography of the exhibition
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Cartier’s approach to colour has long been distinctive, and this chapter demonstrates how deftly the maison orchestrates chromatic contrast. The Byzas necklace embodies its emblematic “peacock” palette, pairing a deep 11.70-carat pear-shaped Ceylon sapphire with eight Zambian emeralds totalling 8.94 carats. Cool blue and vivid green are sharpened by geometric diamonds and fine openwork, lending structure to an otherwise fluid composition.
In the Cafayate necklace, two opals radiate with characteristic iridescence—flashes of red, orange and gold that Cartier amplifies with coloured sapphires. Here, the maison shows how intensity can be built through nuance: the stones’ hues glow without clashing, unified by the design’s gentle curvature.
Above En Équilibre Cafayate necklace in rose and yellow gold set with opals, coloured sapphires and diamonds
En Équilibre Cafayate necklace in rose and yellow gold set with opals, coloured sapphires and diamonds
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Cartier’s mastery of materials is equally evident in Divita, a necklace that brings together jade, spinel, tourmaline, opal and diamonds in a surprisingly coherent scheme. Its botanical sensibility is airy and suggested rather than literal, heightened by an elegant tassel that lends movement and grace. A more sculptural expression appears in the Nakuru brooch: carved from a single block of pink quartz, a flamingo emerges in soft relief, its agate beak and plumage rendered with a delicate hand.
In the Rhythm subtheme, Cartier finds balance through architectural geometry and proportion. The Vetrata necklace, anchored by an 8.15-carat rectangular-cut diamond and encircled by 20 diamonds of similar form, channels the bold lines of Art Deco architecture. Its radiating pattern, set off with onyx accents, recalls the era’s symmetrical, striking skyscrapers.
Above En Équilibre Nakuru brooch in pink quartz set with diamonds and agate
En Équilibre Nakuru brooch in pink quartz set with diamonds and agate
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Animals, long integral to Cartier’s creative lexicon, appear in Panthères Reflexio, a necklace centred on a dramatic 74.10-carat green tourmaline and a 14.91-carat coral drop. Two mirrored panthers—rendered with remarkable anatomical accuracy—frame the stones, their emerald eyes and spotted coats lending both rhythm and vitality to the piece.
Botanicals return in Tutti Ta Prohm, where emeralds, rubies carved with baroque cuts and refined openwork reprise the maison’s century-old Tutti Frutti motif. Named after the famed temple in Cambodia—its ancient stone structures entwined with trees and wild vegetation—the creation offers a gentle reminder of nature’s persistence. Here, emeralds and rubies, intricately carved and set with refined openwork, appear to reclaim the surrounding structure in a sophisticated homage to this enduring phenomenon.
Above En Équilibre Tutti Ta Prohm necklace in platinum set with emeralds, rubies and diamonds
En Équilibre Tutti Ta Prohm necklace in platinum set with emeralds, rubies and diamonds
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Finally, the subtheme of Volume considers the sculptural potential of jewellery—how space, weight and silhouette can create equilibrium. The Haliade necklace, centred on a 41.85-carat sapphire, evokes a wave that rises and falls around the stone and across the wearer’s skin. Layers of diamonds and calibre-cut sapphires create a fluidity that belies the precision of their construction, catching the light with the same shimmer as sunlight on water.
A more contemporary aesthetic defines the Seafoam Green Chamane necklace, where chrysoprase meets sapphire in a crisp exchange of greens and blues. Diamond and onyx accents underscore the piece’s modernity, while gently curved gems soften its architectural lines.
Above En Équilibre Haliade necklace in white gold set with a 41.85-carat sapphire, sapphires and diamonds
En Équilibre Haliade necklace in white gold set with a 41.85-carat sapphire, sapphires and diamonds
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With Najaatra, Cartier turns to zoomorphic sculpture: a coiled cobra, its emerald eyes alert, guards a 51.70-carat aquamarine. Dramatic in concept yet finely controlled in execution, the scale pattern, subtle articulation and interplay between polished metal and stone reflect the maison’s ability to bring volume to life without excess.
As Jacqueline Karachi, Cartier’s director of high jewellery creation, puts it, “creating a distinctive line through understatement is the paradox of sophisticated simplicity. It’s the art of looking at things differently, but also the art of balancing them with precision. The art of balance, at the heart of our creative approach, reveals Cartier’s harmony”. The result is a high jewellery collection that expands Cartier’s aesthetic vocabulary while remaining unmistakably true to its identity.
Credits
Images: Cartier
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Annabel Tan is the Editor of Watches and Jewellery at Tatler Singapore, where she covers all things luxury timepieces and fine jewellery across both print and digital platforms. She is also the Editor of Tatler GMT Singapore, a role that deepens her fascination with the ever-evolving world of watchmaking. Outside of work, she’s usually on the hunt for her next favourite watch that she can’t afford, planning her next beach getaway, or catching up on the latest Formula 1 race.
