The Legend Of The Cat

What began as feline spots 106 years ago eventually took shape as the Cartier Panthère, which has become the foremost icon in the jewellery world. Yanni Tan delves into its history and expressions

- Yanni Tan

No jeweller in the world has an identity so inextricably linked to the feline as French maison Cartier. When one sees the Panthère, one sees Cartier. And vice versa. Even after a century since its conception, the brand motif remains as relevant and alluring to women of style and audacity as ever.

Today, collectors and admirers of Cartier alike have seen countless bejewelled iterations of the big cat. However, few know that the concept of the Panthère was born over a century ago, in 1914, as onyx spots on a diamond-encrusted women’s wristwatch. While it seems effortless and ingenious to simply adopt an animal as a source of inspiration, it is a feat altogether to keep at it – across decades and their defining artistic movements – and develop the motif as one’s unique signature with as much savoir faire the world has ever seen.

As Cartier’s Image & Style Director Pierre Rainero puts it ever so succinctly: “Throughout this century, the Panthère has asserted itself with power and consistency. Oscillating between playful and predatory, cruel and kind, it merrily adapts to the stylistic circumstances of the period, taking advantage of it and seizing the spirit of the times like willing prey. Far more than a fashion or status symbol, or a mere ornament, the Cartier Panthère has become a genuine cultural icon.”

LA PETIT PANTHÈRE