Editor’s Note
This article details the debut of Cartier’s new “Tsagaan” high jewelry piece, worn by Halle Berry at the 2025 Met Gala. The necklace is part of the forthcoming “Un Équilibre” collection.
Cartier’s Friend of the Maison, Halle Berry, appeared on the red carpet at the Met Gala 2025 in New York on Monday, May 5, 2025 (local time), wearing the “Tsagaan” necklace and earrings from Cartier’s new high jewelry collection “Un Équilibre,” scheduled for release at the end of May.
The necklace, crafted in white gold, onyx, and diamonds, captures the essence of the elusive snow leopard, a rare and difficult-to-find creature that disappears quickly when spotted. The dignified design, using trompe-l’oeil effects in its lines, makes the snow leopard’s head appear and disappear depending on the viewing angle. The main stones consist of one 3.51-carat rosengé-cut diamond and one 2.55-carat kite-shaped diamond. Based on a geometric motif woven from kite-cut, rosengé-cut, and triangle-cut diamonds, accented with onyx, this combination is one of Cartier’s signature color palettes. This creation, which took 1,336 hours to complete, creates a sense of mysterious movement through the alternating appearance of density and void.
The name “Tsagaan” originates from the Mongolian word for snow leopard. Among the panthera species, the snow leopard is one of the most difficult to survive in the wild, known for its elusive movements and pale fur that blends seamlessly into mountainous environments. Cartier has expressed the rare and somewhat mystical essence of the snow leopard in this necklace.
