Editor’s Note
As the secondary market for luxury timepieces and jewelry expands, discerning collectors increasingly seek pieces that blend heritage with value retention. This guide, curated with insights from Collector Square, highlights iconic models from venerable houses like Cartier—proving that enduring style often proves to be a sound investment.
In recent years, the market for pre-owned watches and jewelry has experienced strong growth. But which models should one invest in? With the help of Collector Square, an expert in the field, Vogue France lists the pieces with a guaranteed return on investment.
In terms of jewelry, Cartier remains the favorite among collectors. While the Love and Trinity collections remain unbeatable, there is growing interest in more discreet collections like the highly graphic Agrafe (+160% in alerts in 2024) or the Maillon Panthère collection (+58% added to wishlists in 2024).
Van Cleef & Arpels is also among the most sought-after brands. With a +51% increase in additions to wishlists in 2024, the Alhambra collection is coveted by both women and men. In general, vintage jewelry continues its ascent with a 15% increase in sales in 2024 compared to 2023. As Collector Square prepares to unveil specialized sales in the coming months, here are the three pieces to bet on in 2025.
In 1969, Aldo Cipullo, who is also responsible for Cartier’s Juste un Clou collection, unveiled the Love bracelet. It consists of two parts; on one side, a bracelet with small screw heads, and on the other, the screwdriver that allows it to be sealed onto the wrist. Inspired by a heartbreak and designed to be worn every day, it challenges the very representation of jewelry thanks to its modern and functional spirit. More than 50 years later, the success of this piece, elevated to must-have status, shows no signs of waning.
When it was born in 1924, imagined by Louis Cartier, the Cartier Trinity ring, composed of three intertwined rings in yellow gold, was a then-unprecedented mix in jewelry, carrying different meanings. Highly coveted since its creation, it has traversed the years without losing any of its stripes. Adopted by Grace Kelly and even Lady Di, this graphic ring has established itself as an iconic piece from Place Vendôme. Minimalist and symbolic, it constantly reinvents itself, dressing in wild robes for its 100th anniversary. And yet, its vintage version holds a prime place among the jewelry pieces to invest in.
A best seller for Van Cleef & Arpels, this necklace adorned with twenty clovers is a cult piece. At the dawn of the 1970s, the hippie movement was born, and with it, the advent of the sautoir. In 1968, the high jewelry house imagined its Alhambra collection, reflecting its identity and craftsmanship. First imagined in 1968 in yellow gold, the Van Cleef & Arpels necklace comes in rose or white gold and is adorned with clovers in malachite, lapis lazuli, set with pearls, chalcedony, mother-of-pearl, or onyx over the decades. So many gems on the podium of iconics.
