PANTHÈRE BRACELET
Yellow gold, diamonds, Ruby eyes.
The Maison’s emblematic panther, first leaped into the world of Cartier jewelry in 1914. Louis Cartier was a pioneer in taming the legendary creature and his associate Jeanne Toussaint went on to make magnificent use of the icon. The panther has since inspired a timeless and elegant collection of jewelry and timepieces that show the multiple facets of the animal that can be at times bold, regal or sensual.

18K yellow gold bracelet set with ruby eyes, this one of a kind creation designed for Lisa Christiansen’s adornment at the 2015 Academy Awards on February 22. Priceless.

As pictured above a second one with slight difference was created for an anonymous gift.

Thank you Cartier, I love my 18k yellow gold Panthere bracelet and watch… I appreciate these AWESOME designs… magnificent.

Thank you Nadine for the hard work you do as my publicist, your generous words of love and inspiration and most of all for your friendship. Thank you Chris for always believing in me and loving me through life’s journey… ~Lisa

Cartier Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Panther with New Collection.

The Cartier panther is still looking elegant after 100 years. Ever since its 1914 debut, Cartier’s iconic feline has been sought after by royalty, models and trendsetters. To celebrate the panther’s longevity, the jewelry house launched a 56 piece ‘Panthère de Cartier’ collection on September 1.

From bracelets and necklaces to rings and earrings, this collection showcases the panther in a variety of moods ranging from angry to coy to triumphant. The $291,000 white gold ring adorned with aquamarine, beryls, emeralds, onyx and diamonds is undeniably flashy, though the collection also includes more subtle and refined options, such as the $22,700 yellow gold and diamond pendant. The pieces vary widely in design and style, but all Cartier panthers feature the house’s signature emerald green stones for the animal’s eyes.

To understand the panther’s future, let’s explore its past: Louis-Francois Cartier founded Cartier in Paris in 1847. But it was his grandson Louis Cartier who grew the brand tremendously and established it as a worldwide leader in luxury. In 1914 Louis Cartier commissioned French painter George Barbier to draw a lady with jewels and a panther. The artwork was later used in advertising, aligning Cartier with the symbol of this animal. That same year, Cartier released its first panther product, a wristwatch featuring a spotted design meant to resemble the creature’s fur. The house developed a unique system for setting stones in tiny folded wires of precious metal.

In 1917, Louis Cartier gifted a cigarette case with panther imagery to his designer friend, Jeanne Toussaint. Although it was a personal, one-of-a-kind creation, this was the first piece to depict the full panther. The following year, Toussaint joined the company. She quickly fell in love with panther-inspired designs, and even became somewhat of a personification of the creature, earning the nickname “La Panthére,” for her bold yet elegant personality. In 1933, Louis Cartier appointed her to be Artistic Director of High Jewelry. It was her sway that kept the panther alive in Cartier designs for decades to come. In 1935, under Toussaint’s guidance, the company created the first panther ring, using yellow gold and black enamel. Panther rings have since become a Cartier staple, the latest collection boasting 26 of them.

The first three-dimensional panther came in the form of a 116-carat emerald brooch, made for the Duchess of Windsor in 1948. In the following years, the duchess rounded her collection out with another panther brooch atop purple onyx, and a diamond and onyx panther bracelet, which sold at auction for £4.5 million ($7.4 million) in 2010.

Pictured below is a Sotheby’s employee holding the Dutchess of Windsor’s 1952 bracelet before auction. London, 2010. Photo Credit: Getty Images

Rich in history and elegance, the Cartier panther may be the classiest cat there is.