Colour Me Happy

Cartier’s new Coloratura high jewellery collection is an open invitation to a kaleidoscopic journey around the world, CANDICE CHAN
discovers in Paris

- Candice Chan

IN CARTIER’S EYES, beauty knows no bounds. Since the days of Pierre, Jacques and Louis Cartier (brothers credited for establishing the Cartier brand worldwide), the Maison has traversed the length and breadth of the world to uncover the rarest gemstones. In turn, these quests have led to the exploration of exotic locales such as India, Africa and Russia, which inspired some of its most evocative creations.

This year, Cartier revisits these countries through its latest high jewellery collection, Coloratura. Composed of some 240 colourful creations, it takes you on a whirlwind journey through the sun-drenched plains of Africa all the way to Japan’s dreamy cherry blossom gardens. But it wasn’t merely the fascinating architecture, topography or native flora and fauna that inspired Cartier this time around; designers also drew from different cultural festivals in these countries a joie de vivre they injected into the jewellery.

“We wanted to speak about joy and we also wanted to show an aspect of Cartier’s style that had to do with how we use colours. We also wanted to travel around the world to show how different cultures inspired us, and to celebrate the different joyous occasions from around the world,” explains creative director Jacqueline Karachi.

In the example of the Yoshino necklace, made to be worn in three distinct ways and headlined by two impressive emerald-cut morganites totalling 55.18cts, Cartier was inspired by Japan’s hanami, an ancient festival that heralds the arrival of spring and highlights the transient beauty of cherry and plum blossoms.