Cartier was probably most renown for their jewelry but they also made other items such as clocks and dressing table sets.
By the turn of the 20th century, Cartier was a well-established jewellery house. Advances in technology permitted a revolutionary change of style. Platinum, the new metal, gave lightness and flexibility, providing a perfect medium for the favored bows and wreaths, giving way to a new vernacular in jewellery. Jewels of the Art Deco era were characterised by bold geometric patterns, colour, texture and rich exoticism infused from Persian, Indian, Oriental, Russian and Egyptian influences. Reference: Sotheby’s
Below are some examples and price guides of work by Cartier including an Art Deco clock and an example of Cartier’s makers mark.
AN ART DECO NEPHRITE, GEM-SET AND ENAMEL DESK CLOCK, BY CARTIER, CIRCA 1920 The circular dial with engraved detail, Roman numeral hourmarkers and openwork hands, within a white enamel bezel set with gold inlay and a square nephrite case, accented by four coral corallium rubrum cabochons with black enamel detail
Sold for £ 8,925 inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2020
ART DECO ONYX, ENAMEL AND RUBY ‘MIGNONETTE’ CLOCK, CARTIER
Rectangular dial with Roman numerals, blued steel hands, onyx, blue enamel, cabochon rubies, gold (French marks), circa 1928, mechanical movement
Sold for CHF 13,750 at Christie’s in 2020
Cartier Art Deco Platinum, Diamond and Ruby Clip Of modified shield shape, set with 36 round and 3 square-cut diamonds, tipped by one marquise-shaped diamond, altogether ap. .70 ct., accented by 8 square and fancy-shaped rubies
Sold for $2,500 (includes buyer’s premium) at Doyle in 2020
Cartier Art Deco Sterling Silver Dresser Jewelry Box with a gold gilt interior.Circa 1940s Measures 6 1/2″ long by 3″ wide and 1″ deep
Sold for $12,000 at Bidhaus in 2021
Cartier Maker’s Mark
CARTIER | ART DECO EMERALD AND DIAMOND BROOCH
Set with a step-cut emerald weighing 11.13 carats, decorated with old-mine- and old European-cut diamonds,
This diamond and emerald brooch is a rare and beautiful example of work by Cartier from this productive and creative period. The outline of the brooch is Persian inspired. Perhaps its origins can be traced from Louis Cartier’s personal Persian miniature collection, which was then transformed by Jacqueau into a jewel. Alternatively, the brooch may have derived from any number of exhibitions in Paris on Islamic art. A drawing in pen and ink by Jacqueau, circa 1912, shows similar ideas for brooches. Two later sketches by Jacqueau, for a headdress with tassel, depicts this reoccurring emerald and diamond motif. Undoubtedly, this was not only a popular theme but a favourite colour combination, which harkens to remodeling of Indian jewels that were dominated by important Colombian emeralds which had been collected in the 1700s.
Sold for 1,260,000 HKD at Sotheby’s in 2020
