Editor’s Note
Cartier has launched its new “En Equilibre” high jewelry collection in Stockholm and announced actor Gemma Chan as a new ambassador. The brand continues to blend artistic creativity with craftsmanship, as highlighted by Chan’s remarks on the occasion.
Cartier has unveiled its new high jewelry collection, “En Equilibre,” in Stockholm and appointed actor Gemma Chan, known for films like “Captain Marvel,” as an ambassador.
The “En Equilibre” (meaning “In Balance” in French) collection expresses Cartier’s spirit of “moderation in all things,” reflecting the brand’s style and creations that aim for harmony between bold volumes and color balance.
Arnaud Carrez, Cartier’s Chief Marketing Officer, stated that the collection adds an accent to Cartier’s creations, which he describes as “an unlimited vocabulary, from the unexpected to the universal.”
Jaqueline Karachi, Creative Director of Cartier’s High Jewelry department, emphasized the importance of balance at every stage, from stone sourcing to production.
Karachi’s “invisible” refers to details like polishing in hidden areas, or the “magical moment of being filled with emotion and joy” when the high jewelry team encounters a stone.
“Cito”: Embodying “moderation in all things,” this piece features seemingly simple lines of diamonds and emeralds crossing at the front and back, suspending a pair of drop-shaped 49.37-carat Zambian emeralds.
“Yala”: Pink gold work gives the impression of stones directly adorning the skin. It features a 5.71-carat oval-cut colored diamond and sapphires arranged in a delicate gradient.
“Panthère d’Entrelacs”: This piece cascades beads of Colombian emeralds totaling approximately 274.58 carats, leading towards a panther holding a 4-carat kite-cut diamond, constructed in an openwork lace-like pattern.
“Panthère Orbitale”: With a bold composition of coral and amethyst, a panther stands atop a central cabochon, featuring a coat of diamonds and onyx and eyes of emerald.
“Tsagaan”: Inspired by the rare and elusive snow leopard, it uses kite, lozenge, and triangle-cut diamonds to create a trompe-l’oeil effect where the leopard’s face appears and disappears depending on the viewing angle.
“Trafaret”: This piece centers three octagonal Colombian emeralds of varying weights and setting orientations, adorned overall with emeralds and onyx.
“Pavocelle”: Reminiscent of a peacock, it features a removable 58.08-carat Sri Lankan sapphire cabochon at its center, wearable as a brooch or on a choker. The clasp’s pair-shaped diamonds can also be detached for use as a pendant. Its creation required a total of 5,700 hours, over 4,100 of which were dedicated solely to jewelry making. This necklace embodies the balance between simplicity and a complex, intertwined hidden structure.
“Tateya”: Inspired by the knot of a kimono obidome, it sets a 6.98-carat cabochon-cut Vietnamese ruby, with a ribbon arranged as if wrapping it.
“Sucdo”: Featuring symmetrical diamonds as the main actors, combined with shield-cut diamonds and onyx.
“Motu”: Surrounds a central 7.8-carat pair-shaped tourmaline with portrait-cut diamonds like a fountain, arrayed with turquoise and chrysoprase beads. This blue and green color scheme is Cartier’s signature palette, known as the “Peacock Pattern.”
“Brio”: Adorns a 25.54-carat rubellite with beads of emerald and rubellite. Above and below the stone, circular motifs in white gold paved with diamonds are designed, with a touch of onyx.
“Azulejo”: Sets a 15.35-carat Sri Lankan sapphire at the ring’s apex, alternating tapered-cut diamonds and sapphire beads.
Alexa Abitbol, Workshop Director of the High Jewelry department, stated that approximately 100,000 hours were spent on this collection.
She also noted that essential to jewelry making, though invisible to the customer, is the balance between traditional craftsmanship and technology. In the Paris workshop, stone carvers utilize 3D printers and advanced precision tools. These technological tools help realize design visions and ensure iterative work with limited resources.