Exploring a glittering diamond Cartier brooch

Helen Molesworth, The Dr Genevieve Davies Senior Curator of Jewellery, examines a small but intensely sparkly Cartier diamond and platinum brooch that seems unusually forward thinking in terms of its design for 1910. 

Featuring over one hundred diamonds, including a stunning cushion cut centre stone, the brooch exhibits clear influence from Islamic art and architecture as well as elements typically found in the Art Deco period – a design style that wouldn't emerge for another decade. This jewel exemplifies the developing signature Cartier style in that it combines modernity and innovation with elegance and refinement, pushing boundaries and creating an inimitable philosophy of design.

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Watch three more spectacular Cartier jewels being unboxed.

Header image:
Diamond brooch, Cartier, 1910, Paris, France. Museum no. M.2:1-2025. Acquired for the Victoria and Albert Museum by Dr Genevieve Davies, former Trustee of the V&A, to commemorate the Cartier exhibition. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London