An Unbreakable Bond: Cartier & Women

Royal, influential, adventurous or avant-garde: the deep bond between all women and their jewelry is a narrative that runs throughout Cartier’s history. Jeanne Toussaint marked a turning point in this journey; both a trailblazer in the male-dominated society of the early 20th century and a revolutionary figure in modern jewelry, Toussaint was appointed by Louis Cartier in 1933 as Cartier’s first female Creative Director. As a woman of her time creating for her contemporaries, she embodied and encouraged a new freedom for women marked by free-spirited femininity and the power of independence.

Her work paved the way for other women to take jewelry beyond an external demonstration of wealth for their husbands and fathers, imagining it as a powerful personal adornment, or an intimate revelation of personality.

The enigmatic panther she made the Maison’s emblem was a highlight of the exhibition, the embodiment of her bold vision of womanhood. On display was perhaps its most iconic representation: the three-dimensional Panthère brooch designed by Toussaint in 1949 and acquired by the Duchess of Windsor. This untamable energy was shared by a pair of hanging Tiger earrings made for Barbara Hutton in 1961. 

The exhibition also explored the influence of art from China and other parts of the world that enlivened Cartier creations and fulfilled a universal thirst for novelties, in terms of style and decorative motifs, as well as techniques and materials. A brooch featuring two dragons chasing a pearl, a popular motif in Chinese art, was acquired in 1920 by Jeanne Paquin, the first major female couturier in France.

Upon her marriage in 1933, Barbara Hutton was gifted a necklace made of jadeite, a beloved gemstone among the Chinese. In a more subtle nod, a Tank Chinoise from the collection of Edwina Ashley, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, with its graphic case inspired by Chinese architecture.

At the close of the exhibition route, contemporary icons took precedence to carry the torch of women’s empowerment. Tiaras on loan from the private collections of Brigitte Lin, Carina Lau and Pansy Ho lend a triumphant note to the continuing role of Cartier in women’s sense of independence, identity and celebration.

Dr Louis Ng, Museum Director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, said: “This remarkable exhibition underscored Hong Kong’s position as an East-meets-West center for international cultural exchange, and highlights the Museum’s global vision and innovative curatorial approach which emphasizes rigorous research and scholarship.

Through the fascinating stories of the women behind these exquisite exhibits, we hope to inspire visitors to explore the role and influence of women across time and enrich their understanding of works that marry Eastern and Western aesthetics.”