Guardians Of Nature

Mesmerising menagerie and beautiful blooms are perennial sources of inspiration co-opted by the world of precious watchmaking.

- Tan Siok Hoon

PANTHÈRE JEWELLERY WATCHES BY CARTIER

Magnetic, powerful and resplendent, the panther is an inspirational powerhouse that has captured the imagination at Cartier for over a century. Though the creature was first spotted at the Maison in 1914, abstractly expressed in an onyx and diamond pattern on a ladies' wristwatch, it was Jeanne Touissant's famous three-dimensional transformation of the Cartier panther in 1948—depicting it realistically and in its entirety—that powered its leap into iconic status.

So enigmatic was the visionary's design interpretation of the feline that it has been infinitely coveted by generations of women who treasure it as an emblem representing passion, boldness and independence. From design to stones and setting, the objective of recreating the living spirit of the animal pays homage to nature by breathing life into the feline creature and injecting it with a personality.

In the last few years, Cartier's rich evocations of its panther mascot has enjoyed a renaissance in the precious watchmaking sphere. The Révélation d'une Panthère watch, which was introduced in 2018, showcased a miniature spectacle within the dial of a Ronde Louis Cartier watch. Stunningly, with a subtle inflection of the wrist and thanks to a traditional hourglass technique, the panther's graphic and stylised head expressed by a cluster of gold beads magically appears or disappears.