Red LETTER

Cartier flexed its creative and theatrical muscles in Beijing this year, unveiling the latest chapter of its Le Voyage Recommencé high jewellery collection.

- GORDON NG

Painting the town red took a turn for the literal in October when Cartier chose Beijing to unveil an exhibition of high jewellery. With carpets, lights, drones and more, the Parisian house turned the Juyong Pass of the Great Wall of China and the Prince Jun Mansion its distinct shade of red. The exhibition that Cartier had gathered its ambassadors, friends of the house, clients, guests and press for was twofold. First, to unveil the latest chapter of Le Voyage Recommencé, its high jewellery collection for 2023. And second, to display a curation of past pieces from the brand's archives and the collections of private owners.

Le Voyage Recommencé-which translates to the journey begins anew' is a reexamination of Cartier's closest-held design codes. It's no small thing. The maison, which was founded in 1847, has such a vast and storied history that boiling it down is an immense challenge.

Jacqueline Karachi, the house's director of high jewellery creation, settled ultimately on four guiding beacons: geometry, light, nature and world cultures. "We explore so many territories to push the boundaries of creation," she explains in press notes. "Like a journey that is repeated over and over again, continually drawing on the inexhaustible sources of Cartier inspiration."

A travelling eye