Bridging High Jewellery with Haute Couture: How Cartier Brings The Two Worlds Together

Both defined by exquisite craftsmanship, high jewellery and haute couture have more than a little in common – and nowhere is this more evident than at Cartier

As epitomes of French elegance and skill, haute couture and high jewellery are intrinsically linked. Both crafted with precision and creativity, and known for the painstaking handcraft and attention-to-detail that goes into the making of each piece, the latter is often considered the crowning glory, complementing and enhancing the beauty of the finest garments from the biggest names. Indeed, today clients regularly choose high jewellery pieces directly after shopping for couture, and no-one knows this better than Cartier, that has been adorning royals, politicians and celebrities ever since Parisian watchmaker Louis-François Cartier founded the house back in 1847.

Cartier has a storied history intertwined with couture. Jean-Philippe Worth, son of the British-born father of haute couture Charles Frederick Worth, would stitch the Maison’s jewels directly onto clothes when he headed up design at the French fashion label, House of Worth.

In 1898, Louis Cartier, the founder’s grandson, went on to marry Charles’ granddaughter Andrée-Caroline, with the relationship expediting his connections to Parisian socialites and high-net-worth individuals – when the American banker J.P. Morgan heard about the upcoming wedding, he promised the groom-to-be his future custom and bought Dhs184,000 ($50,000) worth of jewels on the spot. The Morgans continued to be great clients, buying one of the first Model A mystery clocks.

The Worth and Cartier families even collaborated to open their first store together in London in 1902, and Louis’ sister Suzanne went on to marry Andrée’s cousin Jacques Worth, further strengthening Cartier’s presence in the jewellery business even further.

Unlike haute couture, which is governed by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, high jewellery, or haute joaillerie as it is known in France, has never had – nor needed – the same kind of watchdog group. There is something inherent in creating these one-of-kind treasures with spectacular gemstones that absolutely requires superior manufacturing and dedication to the art. It’s no surprise then that Cartier has long had ties with international royal families, who would team their jewellery with their haute couture wardrobes.

Cartier has always been a Maison favoured by royalty, producing jewellery, tiaras and objets d’art for aristocracy the world over. King Edward VII referred to Cartier as “the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers.” Sold to Elisabeth, Queen of the Belgians (1876-1965), this garland-style tiara was altered to be worn as a bandeau for the queen in 1912 to adapt to the burgeoning flapper trend.

The house’s first big commission landed in 1856 when Princess Mathilde, cousin of Emperor Napoleon III, made the first of more than 200 recorded purchases, and since then it has counted the late Princess Diana and Queen Rania of Jordan among its clientele.

For the royal wedding in 2011 Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge wore the iconic Cartier Halo tiara made under Jacques Cartier, which is made up of 739-brilliant cut diamond and 149 baguette diamonds, as her something borrowed (it was lent to her by Queen Elizabeth II.)

Today it is Jacqueline Karachi who heads up the creative direction for the 177-year-old jewellery house, joining the nearly all-male design studio straight out of the École Boulle in Paris more than four decades ago.

Not just designed to be worn together, the two universes of couture tailoring and high jewellery are intertwined in more ways than one, with Jacqueline regularly visiting the archives when searching for the inspiration for her new collections. In fact, couture is an endless source of inspiration for jewellery designers the world over, with delicate laces, feminine bows, drapery and sassy fringes, which imbue jewellery with movement, as fundamental to the design approach as the beauty found in nature. Nowhere is this clearer than in Cartier’s Agrafe collection which, launched in 2022, is reminiscent of the hook and eye fastenings of couture gowns, in particular corsets. Comprising bracelets and necklaces, the rose gold clasp motif folds together, as a testament to the brand’s years of jewellery expertise.

Agrafe Résille bracelet, a rose gold set with 459 brilliant-cut diamonds totaling 10.69 carats.

Of course, getting their collections under the eyes of their most influential clients is just as important as the pieces themselves, and that’s where Haute Couture Weeks come in. Fine jewellery houses first started showing during Haute Couture Week back in 2010, having agreed to a day of presentations that helped bolster its popularity. At the time, with so few labels staging runway shows, the industry had been wondering if couture could even survive. Now the two run in tandem, with Paris’s major jewellery houses launching new high jewellery collections in between shows, scooping up sales while the big spenders are in town. And while it may be the fashion presentations that tend to nab the lion’s share of the headlines, the high jewellery presentations attract plenty of industry A-listers, many boasting new or long-standing relationships with their respective brands.

As to be expected, Cartier’s presence is among the most anticipated at Haute Couture Week, with many of its most famous collections being launched during this time. 2018 was the year we were introduced to the 240-piece Coloratura line, an exceptional suite inspired by the brand’s colour combinations used in jewels in the early 20th century comprising the likes of the Laterna a necklace-perfume bottle, crafted with yellow gold, carved rubellites, chalcedonies, chrysoprase, mandarin garnets and morganites, onyx, brilliant-cut diamonds

Laterna, a necklace/perfume bottle crafted with yellow gold, carved rubellites, chalcedonies, chrysoprase, mandarin garnets and morganites, onyx, brilliant-cut diamonds

The Cartier Beautés du Monde High Jewellery collection was also launched at Haute Couture Week in the summer of 2022, showcasing brilliant stones said to highlight ‘the beauty of the world’, including the Panthère Héroïque necklace which features one of Cartier’s signature design elements — crafted in white gold, diamonds and onyx — wrapped around a 28.34-carat fancy-shaped emerald. The tassel of emerald beads can be removed to wear the necklace alone, or it can be attached to the clasp so it drapes down the back.

The Panthère Héroïque necklace which features one of Cartier’s signature design elements — crafted in white gold, diamonds, and onyx — wrapped around a 28.34-carat fancy-shaped emerald

More recently, during January 2024’s shows, the Maison unveiled the Spina necklace composed of a meshlike weave of sapphires and diamonds and showcasing a Ceylon sapphire weighing more than 29 carats. An addition to the Le Voyage Recommencé collection introduced in 2023, it can be mounted on a special frame and worn as a head ornament with the sapphire on top.

The Spina necklace/tiara composed of a meshlike weave of sapphires and diamonds and showcasing a Ceylon sapphire weighing more than 29 carats

Another highlight was the Yfalos necklace in a colour-clash explosion of melon-cut coral beads, emerald beads and two cabochon-cut turquoise with brilliant-cut diamonds.

The Yfalos necklace in a colour-clash explosion of melon-cut coral beads, emeralds beads and two cabochon-cut turquoise with brilliant-cut diamonds

It’s clear that in the ever-evolving world of luxury, the bond between high jewellery and haute couture remains steadfast, each drawing inspiration from the other to create one-of-a-kind masterpieces. While the anticipation for Cartier’s next collection is palpable, one thing’s for certain – the two will always be united in their quest for beauty.

Images supplied.