Cartier has added new pieces to the iconic Clash de Cartier collection, expanding its technical challenge to creations that are tactile, bold and loyal to the maison’s codes.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, Cartier has dared to play with the rules of traditional jewellery, adopting styles sometimes inspired by the industrial world. This creative and pioneering approach found particular expression in the 1920s and ‘30s through studs and clous carrés, which punctuated watches and accessories, as well as stacked beads, much admired in the jewellery world for their volume.
The jewellery of the Clash de Cartier collection shakes up this aesthetic legacy. These characteristic Cartier motifs are combined to form a powerful, singular mesh that shapes a new jewellery signature blending preciousness and mechanics.
MOVEMENT AND FLUIDITY
Cartier has focussed on three pillars to take Clash de Cartier to new heights: flexibility, colour and adjustable design. Defying the collection’s geometry, the maison has designed entirely flexible pieces that, for the first time, feature yellow gold versions of necklaces and bracelets that were previously developed in rose gold.
Some jewels have two rows, each showcasing unique technical details. One, lost-wax casting, is derived from traditional jewellery making, while the other utilises high-precision machining. The latter method is used to assemble up to 600 components, each crafted with the utmost care and precision to ensure the wearer’s comfort. The ingenious construction features articulated elements polished by hand, with all parts connected but free to move.
NEW COLOURS AND VOLUME
Red-dyed agate, green-dyed agate, pink chalcedony and onyx enrich Clash de Cartier’s artistry. A series of hard stone beads interspersed with rose gold studs underscores the architectural volume of the collection’s rings, pendants and earrings. The beads are pierced and then pinned with a clou de Paris nail to secure them – a complex and delicate process, alternating mechanical fastening with manual adjustments for the utmost precision.
The extra-large iterations are wider and the onyx studs have been upgraded, adding sophistication to a totally flexible yellow gold bracelet, necklace and three-finger ring. The earrings in rose or white gold are composed of two flexible lines that change appearance depending on whether they are worn on the front and back of the ear or only on the front.