The Easel

Archives: Jeannine Falino

10th June 2025

Cartier: Jeweler of Kings, King of Jewelers

In the pecking order of the decorative arts, the look-at-me jewellery of Cartier is hard to beat. A London show of its pieces, drawn from aristocratic collections and Cartier’s archives, is “astonishing”. It profiles many aesthetic trends and tells cultural stories such as the Indian maharajahs bringing their ancestral jewellery to Cartier for re-setting. Yet it’s hard to resist the view that although exquisite, this is bling, made irresistible by the marriage of celebrity and great wealth.  Images are here.