MENAGE A TROIS

Cartier celebrates 100 years of Trinity

- KC YAP

BORN OF THE IMAGINATION of Louis Cartier in 1924, the Trinity ring ushered in a new era of possibilities in jewellery, eventually becoming the Maison’s first design icon. From the start, it resonated with Cartier’s history, that of the three brothers, Louis, Pierre and Jacques, and that of the three historic Cartier boutiques, Paris, London and New York. It captured he Maison’s most cherished values; values like diversity were demonstrated through three rings in yellow gold, rose gold and white gold that came together in perfect harmony.

Composed of three intertwined, mobile bands in platinum, yellow gold and rose gold, this novel piece broke with the traditions of the craft by looking far beyond jewellery’s inherent focus on precious stones. Featuring clean lines, the right proportions and precise shapes, Trinity integrated the notion of comfort and relied on ergonomics and an understanding of the piece’s function. It was all about the fluidity of the moving rings – round on the outside, smooth on the inside – which slid over each other, overlapping and merging. It was at once a poetic and technical enigma.

Throughout the years, Trinity has dared to use the most creative materials, both precious and unexpected. It has continuously been given a new twist by Cartier, from fine rings to wider bands; they have been multiplied, to as many as ten, and stylised to include fluted, faceted and gadrooned rings. Since 1924, Trinity has tried it all.

100 YEARS STRONG

In celebration of the centenary anniversary of Trinity, Cartier has imagined simple and pure yet daring new designs, the XL bracelet from the 2000s – a cult creation – has been reissued, and an XL version of the iconic ring has been launched.