From the very beginning, she has stalked through a universe of fauna imagined by Cartier. Here, wilderness is truly precious: tigers roam and rest, giraffe scan the horizon, crocodiles play, and a snake waits, with grace, to strike. Some unexpected encounters find the Panther face to face with a zebra, or even herself – a powerful theme of hybridization and mirroring is explored through bold creations with generous volumes and sculptural presence. Wilder still - the chimeras and magical fauna. In this universe, anything is possible, and dragons share space with mystical creatures and abstract incarnations that emerge from the Maison’s imagination.

The creation of this zoological universe requires a multifaceted, specialized savoir-faire. A tiger stretches to form a necklace and calls upon Cartier’s jewelry expertise to create a powerful vitality: the organic nuances of the coat are captured in yellow, orange, brown, and white diamonds, with uniquely shaped onyx stripes; the art of sculpture brings life to volume with fine features; the vivid emerald eyes shine; and a meticulously articulated paw lays confidently on the skin.

As elusive as the Panther herself, certain areas of savoir-faire are being cultivated and preserved by the Maison to ensure their beauty is carried on for future generations. Dedicated spaces and programs have been established for the transmission and innovation of these skills by masters of the craft. At the Maison des Métiers d’Art in the heart of Switzerland, Cartier is dedicated to preserving rare, ancestral areas of savoir-faire through the creation of exceptional and unique works of creativity, and horological artworks in particular.

To create this Panthère watch, these artisans turned their attention – and their skills – to the Panther, bringing the emblematic animal to life in black lacquered mother-of-pearl as she emerges from a precious gold-leaf layered jungle. As the only major jeweler to have an in-house glyptics workshop, the Maison also uses this ancient art of carving semi-precious stones to create magnificent fauna creations. Right in the heart of Paris, a team of just four glypticians supervised by the Head of the Atelier Émilie Marques create pieces rich with emotion. From two pieces of petrified wood, they liberated a duo of panthers to guard a superb 6.89-carat oval-shaped pink tourmaline in the Panthère Aegis ring.

Cartier’s wild fauna has always called to individuals with a strong character and a free spirit: their magnetism draws them together. Heiress and philanthropist Barbara Hutton chose a languid tiger brooch for her son’s wedding, while Mexican actress María Félix embraced the sinuous, sensual animals. She made special orders with the Maison for an articulated snake necklace, as well as a mischievous duo of crocodiles that could be worn connected as a necklace or individually as brooches.