The wild history of the Panthers of Cartier

The Jewelry refined have always depicted a wide variety of animals, from lions and tigers to bears, butterflies, snakes and turtles. However, the Panthères de Cartier are considered the queens of jewelry. For over a hundred years, the famous French house has been creating jewelry inspired by this fabulous feline. 

The popularity of the famous Cartier cats 

In 1914, the wild beast entered the jewelry house thanks to an illustration by George Barbier for an invitation to an exhibition. This image, made to order by Louis Cartier, depicted a black panther lying at the feet of an elegant woman wearing a dress and numerous pearl necklaces.

You might think that the feline on the invitation announced the launch of a new collection of panther jewelry. This is not the case. The image testifies to the popularity of panthers in Paris at that time. Panther designs were a chic element of interior design and women's fashion. This powerful and exotic creature captures the atmosphere of the City of Lights after World War I, at the dawn of the Jazz Age.

It is commonly believed that the married director of the jewelry store was having an affair with Jeanne Toussaint, suggesting that the gift could have romantic connotations. It is also possible that this was part of Cartier's strategy to attract talent from Toussaint, who was 30 years old at the time and previously worked for another luxury house. Regardless, Toussaint joined Cartier in the early 1920s and the panthers played a major role in his legendary career with the house.

In the 1930s, she was appointed creative director of fine jewelry. Among her many accomplishments, she redefined the company's iconic panther motif, giving it a bigger, bolder design.

It is almost certain that Jeanne Toussaint was inspired by animal jewelry historical works that she observed in one of the many Parisian museums. THE bracelets articulated, composed of one or two panthers, evoke the silhouettes of ancient Greek bracelets with lion heads.

Cartier cats designed under the direction of Toussaint were highly prized by many high-profile collectors in the 1950s and 1960s. This trend continues today. Every year, Cartier produces a multitude of panther models. The different generations of panther jewelry have made this creature one of the most iconic motifs in the history of jewelry.