Lunchtime Lectures: Cartier Obsessed with Stones

 The Cartier exhibition showcases over 350 exceptional pieces that trace the evolution of the maison’s artistry, design, and craftsmanship since the early 20th century. In this talk, Helen Molesworth will highlight select works from the exhibition, focusing on pieces that feature some of the most remarkable and precious stones in Cartier’s storied history. 

 
Helen is the Senior Jewellery Curator at the V&A and Lead Curator of the Cartier exhibition. She has a broad international and academic background in the gem and jewellery industry, having worked for 25 years with the trade, gemmological laboratories, museums, and auction houses across Europe and Asia. She spent ten years as a jewellery specialist for Sotheby’s and Christie’s in Geneva and London, where she handled and ran sales of global importance including the private jewellery collection of HRH The Princess Margaret in 2006. 

Helen has a degree in Classics from Christ Church, Oxford, is a Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in London. Her book Precious, The History and Mystery of Gems Across Time, a personal insight into the history of gemstones, was published with Penguin in Spring 2024.

Step Free Access: Unfortunately due to lift repairs, there is currently no step free access to the Lecture Theatre.  Please contact hello@vam.ac.uk for further information or speak to a member of staff once in the building.