Animal Kingdom

Unveiled in Shanghai, the second chapter of Cartier's Nature Sauvage high jewellery collection is a dazzling testament to the maison's enduring fascination with the natural world—where majestic creatures are brought to life through precious sculptures

- By Annabel Tan

In Vienna, Austria, last May, Cartier unleashed slender panthers on the prowl, covert beetles, a frolicking flamingo and several more spectacular creatures from the menagerie that is the first chapter of its Nature Sauvage high jewellery collection. This set the stage for an extraordinary parade of more precious animals—masterful sculptures in which precise design intertwine with the maison’s savoir faire to bring the untamed wilderness to life in bejewelled form—in Shanghai in November, where Cartier further expanded its remarkable bestiary of meticulously crafted jewels with the second chapter of the Nature Sauvage collection. Tatler Singapore was part of a group of Southeast Asian media invited to the launch, which saw the brand continue to push the boundaries of creativity with its creations, blending the raw beauty of nature with the refined elegance that has become synonymous with the Cartier name.

The grounds of the Bund City Hall Plaza, in the Bund area of central Shanghai, were transformed into a lush paradise that served as the perfect backdrop for 36 new high jewellery pieces and two new high jewellery objects, each one continuing the narrative of animals playfully concealed within their environments.

Showcasing the maison’s rich animal iconography, these fresh creations were presented within meticulously crafted natural landscapes staged in three themed areas: Twirl with the Wind, Treasures of Land and Shapes of Water—the first done up like a bamboo forest; the second evoking the Rainbow Mountains, renowned for its colourful rock formations; and the last calling to mind the icy beauty of glaciers.