For the last 3 and a half months, Canberra’s National Gallery of Australia has shown jewels most of us could only ever dream of in Cartier: The Exhibition. The exhibition ends this Sunday 22 July so if you’ve not yet been get in this week before you miss out!
The exhibition showcases incredible necklaces, brooches, tiaras, watches and ornaments as well as rarely seen drawings from the Cartier archives. Cartier: The Exhibition comprises more than 300 pieces of sparkling Cartier jewellery.
Included in the exhibition is a Royal Style section which features some of Her Majesty The Queen’s own jewels generously lent for the exhibition. In that section, you will find a brooch with the world’s most spectacular pink diamonds, pieces from the collections of Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother as well as that famous Indian tiara belonging to The Duchess of Gloucester. Kate Middleton’s tiara is also featured. One of the largest sapphires in the world, weighing 478 carats, which has been worn to royal weddings is also included in the exhibition.
HM Queen Elizabeth II
(wearing the Cartier diamond necklace
gift from the Nizam of Hyderabad for her wedding in 1947), 1953
© CAMERA PRESS/Baron
Cartier has long been associated with royalty with Edward VII ordering 27 tiaras and issuing a royal warrant to Cartier on the occasion of his coronation in 1902. The Courts of Spain, Portugal, Russia, Siam, Greece, Serbia, Belgium, Romania, Egypt, Albania, Monaco and the House of Orleans followed suite also issuing royal warrants to Cartier to make their jewellery.
The Duchess of Windsor, Princess Grace of Monaco, Mexican film star Maria Félix and the queen of jewellery herself Elizabeth Taylor. Australian Dame Nellie Melba was also a devoted Cartier client and she features in the exhibition.
Elizabeth Taylor wearing her Cartier ruby and diamond necklace and earrings in Las Vegas, 1958,
© Photofest
Necklace 1951, altered 1953
platinum, gold, diamonds, Burmese rubies
37.5 cm (length)
Cartier Collection, © Cartier
Photo: Vincent Wulveryck
Provenance: Elizabeth Taylor
This is the first and quite possibly the last time an exhibition of these jewels will be shown in Australia so get to the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra this weekend before the exhibition ends Sunday evening at 6pm.
Click here for more information about the exhibition and for here for tickets.
If you’re unable to get to Canberra this weekend, take a look at this Virtual Reality experience featuring Maria Félix’s glittering yellow diamond and emerald crocodile necklace.
Have you been to the exhibition? What’s your favourite piece?
