Three's a charm

Commemorating the centennial of its jewellery icon Trinity, Cartier opened its home for a two-day celebration in the city of lights.

- SONAKSHI SHARMA

AT THE HEIGHT of the Roaring Twenties, fine jewellery was experiencing the antithesis of quiet luxury. The social scene after World War I saw the rise of cultural movements from jazz to Art Deco, which reflected in decadent bijoux being flaunted by the wealthiest families of the period. Picture a kaleidoscope of emeralds, rubies and sapphires, seemingly scooped off Claude Monet's palette, dangling off delicate wrists or mounted atop tiaras. Cartier's Tutti Frutti necklace exemplified the dominant taste of the time. But just as other luxury houses were catching up, Louis Cartier took a sharp turn down the road less travelled.

The third-generation jeweller created a metal ring composed of three intertwined bands in platinum, rose gold and yellow gold, without a single shiny rock in sight. Christened Trinity, the ring's pared-down sophistication helped it stand out amidst the brand's offerings. A century later, in a full-circle moment that not even the most talented astrologists could have predicted, Cartier celebrated fashion's return to quiet luxury with the unveiling of Trinity's newest avatar.