Bejewelled Bounty

Melon-cut gemstones in this Cartier high jewellery suite breathe a modern spirit into an ancient craft.

- Celine Yap

Cartier offers a modern twist on its distinctive peacock motif with sculpted bright green emeralds against pale blue chalcedony.

Whenever Jacques Cartier embarked on his many travels to India, his older brothers Louis and Pierre would entrust him with a number of tasks. Selling the latest Cartier jewellery to the country's wealthy maharajahs was a top priority, as was acquiring new business for the future, and finally, sourcing top-quality gemstones, which were abundant throughout the subcontinent.

On his return from the first voyage in 1911, the youngest Cartier brother had fulfilled all three, not insubstantial, tasks. In addition, he also imparted a bonus gift that would have a lasting influence on the maison's most exquisite creations to this day: an appreciation for colourful, hand-carved gemstones.

Up until then, prevailing jewellery trends in Europe leaned heavily towards bows, ribbons and florals on a colour palette that favoured order and sobriety. Stones were perfectly cut, polished and set. Cartier had famously been a pioneer in the use of platinum in jewellery-making, often combining it harmoniously with diamonds and natural pearls.

So the explosion of colour Jacques had met with in India, along with the bounteous variety and lavish sizes, was completely astonishing to him - and nothing at all like what he and his brothers had seen in the many books they owned on Indian jewellery design, where illustrations were often made in black-and-white.

Jacques Cartier, an intrepid globetrotter who added the exuberant spirit and heritage of Indian jewellery into his family maison's own evolution.