The V&A Museum will play host to an extensive new exhibition this month exploring the history of the French luxury jewellery brand Cartier.
The first UK exhibition from the maison in nearly 30 years, the new show will feature more than 350 objects – including pieces that have been loaned by King Charles from the Royal Collection, as well as other treasures from museums across the world, and private collections.
Charting the rise of Cartier from its inception in 1847 to becoming ‘the jeweller of kings and king of jewellers’, the exhibition looks at the evolution of the house’s legacy in art, design and craftsmanship since the turn of the 20th century, and detail how the three grandsons of founder Louis-François set out to create the first globally recognised jewellery house.
While Cartier boasts clients including royalty and aristocracy – Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is famously a fan – the exhibit will also demonstrate how the brand widened its appeal thanks to the devotion of eminent creatives from the worlds of cinema, music and fashion, making it now an “an unparalleled force in the jewellery and watch world”.
Cartier is now considered one of the most valuable brands in the world, with Forbes estimating its value at $12.2 billion (about £10.3 billion) back in 2020. Among some of Cartier’s celebrated signature pieces include: the Tank, Ballon Bleu, Panthère and Santos de Cartier watches, the Love bangle, the Juste un Clou necklace and bracelet, and the Trinity ring.
Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar UK in 2021, Pierre Rainero, Cartier’s director of image, style and heritage, said the secret of the pieces’ eternal appeal lies in their essential simplicity. “It’s easy for the eye to catch, but simplicity is probably the most difficult thing to achieve in a design," he explained.
The V&A’s Cartier exhibition will run from 12 April 2025 – 16 November 2025. Tickets are available here.
