Celebrating its centennial anniversary this year, Cartier’s Trinity collection has become an iconic symbol of love, fidelity, and friendship. To mark the occasion, the Parisian jeweller recently held a series of events in three cities that are especially meaningful to the house: New York, London and Paris.
The emblematic Trinity design was the brainchild of the Paris home branch of Cartier. The writer, painter, filmmaker and poet Jean Cocteau, a close friend of Louis Cartier’s, can partially be said to be the man behind the Trinity. Legend has it that after a dream, he went to Louis Cartier and asked for a custom-designed ring to be made: three interlocking bands. The jeweller responded with platinum, rose gold and yellow gold, each looped band symbolising friendship, fidelity and love.
The third generation of Cartier, led by the brothers Louis, Jacques and Pierre, divided and conquered. Flagships were set up in New York City and London in the early 1900s to establish the jeweller beyond Paris. The Fifth Avenue mansion, replete with mid-century decor, has been the brand’s home base in the Americas since 1912. A legendary trade Cartier acquired its gilded-age mansion home in New York through a monumental exchange. The American socialite Maisie Plant had fallen head over heels for a massive double-strand pearl necklace by the jeweller. So in 1917, the property was traded for the necklace—the latter valued at US$1 million at the time—plus a token US$100.
Cartier’s London branch was adept at seizing the moment. In the 1920s, the house launched a revival of Egyptian designs following the discovery of Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922. In the same decade, it also minted the Tutti Frutti style of carved gemstones thanks to Jacques Cartier’s closeness to Indian royalty. Cartier has an illustrious history with India. Jacques Cartier built the bridges when he travelled there in 1911, making clients of maharajas and royalty. But he made a mistake showing women’s jewellery to these royals without realising that, in the Indian royal set, the men are the ones who wear the most jewellery. That realisation opened the doors to exotic, exquisite and one-of-a-kind designs.
After a two-hour train ride from London, we are in Paris for Cartier’s Trinity 100 pop-up. This is the final ‘temple’ of the brand, its flagship and home in Paris at 13 rue de la Paix. The brand’s historic home was unveiled in December 2022 after two years of extensive refurbishments and renovations to its five storeys. The Trinity journey pop-up traces the iconic three-coloured metal bands, which were deemed daring and ahead of their time in 1924. With no gemstones in sight, the designs were well ahead of any minimalist movement and focused on mastering the simple shape and form of three looped rings.
The key new pieces have been reimagined as a rounded, squared cushion cut, giving a literal edge to the three circular bands. These are offered in plain solid gold or with pavé diamonds. There are also XL versions imagined as bracelets, and a modular version of the ring where the three bands can be collapsed into one unified whole.
