The Cartier panther is a well-known motif. You may be picturing the famous and magnificent articulated panther bracelet once owned by the Duchess of Windsor; one of the most famous Cartier panther pieces.
What wins me over about the Cartier panther are the details and the delicacy. Animal jewelery can be cheesey, but the Cartier panther usually isn’t. The panther itself is sometimes rendered in precious gems, or sometimes in gold or silver with jeweled eyes and an onyx nose. The delicate planes of the face and the sleek lines of the body make it worth looking at for its own sake, not just because it’s rendered as some fabulous piece of jewelery.
These Cartier panther ring were sold as part of the Christie’s Hong Kong Jewels auction on 29 November 2010. All information about and pictures of these pieces are thanks to Christie’s.
There were two more Cartier panther rings in this auction, but I’m not a fan. I like the panthers, but the rings are too heavy and industrial for me.
 |
Leave a Reply