For over 100 years, the Royal Family has been closely affiliated with Cartier, with the decadence and luxury of the brand leading to them becoming the official purveyors of jewels to the crown. We are going to introduce how the relationship began and then some of the most iconic Cartier pieces that have been worn by four generations of the Royal Family and continue to be admired today. This relationship paved the way for a large amount of vintage jewellery and vintage fashion for decades and even now centuries to come.
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The beginning of a century long relationship
Cartier was founded in 1847 by the jeweller Louis-Francois Cartier, then passed down to his three sons in 1899. The quality, craftsmanship and luxury associated with the brand led to the association with the Royal Family beginning in 1902. Cartier opened a showroom in London in order to supply high society with the finest jewels, and in the process, captured the attention of the Royal Family, around when Edward VIII was crowned. A royal warrant was even awarded to Cartier in 1904, two years after King Edward VIII commissioned the creation of 27 tiaras for his coronation. This is where the meaningful connection between the Royal Family and Cartier began.
Once the affiliation between Cartier and the Royal Family was established, the jewellers developed a deep understanding of their taste and began to gift an array of stunning jewellery, along with the Royals commissioning exquisite pieces. Moving closer towards the 1930s when the Great Depression struck, the Royal Family became more important as clientele than ever. Following King Edward VIII’s abdication of the throne in 1936, his brother King Geoge VI maintained the close and mutually beneficial relationship with Cartier.
With four generations of the Royal Family now having worn the breathtaking pieces, the influence Cartier has over the Crown Jewels has proven its longevity. Now, we will look into some of the most iconic pieces of jewellery created by Cartier for the Royal Family, that continue to appear in some of the most important events in the Royal calendar. Whilst Royal engagement rings often take centre stage, the collection of tiaras and brooches are truly something to behold.
Cartier Halo Tiara
The most famous piece of Cartier jewellery in the Royal Family is undoubtedly the Halo Tiara, purchased as a gift for the Queen Mother in 1936 and then given to the Queen for her 18th birthday. The exceptional piece is made up of 739 brilliant cut diamonds and 149 baguette diamonds, worth $1.7 million. Whilst the queen has never worn the Cartier Halo tiara publicly, it has been worn by Princess Margaret, Princess Anne and most famously by Kate Middleton for her wedding to Prince William in 2011.
The timeless nature of this piece lends itself to generation after generation and we will continue to see the tiara worn and appreciated by the Royal Family for decades and centuries to come. The breathtaking stones are set within the simplistic design that they need to shine, which is why it is so highly admired.
The Hyderabad Necklace
Another exquisite piece of Cartier jewellery that has been admired by the Royal Family is the Hyderabad Necklace, which is worth over £66 million! This necklace was a wedding gift to then Princess Elizabeth, not from the Cartier family themselves, but from the Nizam of Hyderabad which was commissioned through Cartier.
This necklace features an abstract floral design made up from Art Deco diamonds and has been worn repeatedly by Queen Elizabeth, including to gala’s, banquets and state visits around the world. As with her beautiful Halo Tiara, the Queen has leant the necklace to the Duchess of Cambridge and there is no doubt that this heirloom will continue to appear in the years to come.
Lily Brooch
The iconic Lily brooch was created by Cartier in 1939, using some of the 500 loose diamonds that the Queen Mother kept at the jewellers. The floral brooch is much longer than the rest of the Royal Family’s extensive collection, measuring just under seven inches long! A more contemporary approach was taken to create the unique piece, resulting in the uniquely large shape. 197 of the diamonds the Queen Mother was storing with Cartier were used, along with an additional 52 to finish the piece. When the Queen Mother passed away in 2002, the vast collection was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II, including the beautiful Lily brooch. She has been seen donning the brooch on multiple occasions, but the sheer size and weight of the piece means it is not the easiest to wear. This is certainly one of the most memorable pieces made by Cartier for the Royal Family, and we will leave you to decide whether or not this is a positive thing!
Final Thoughts
The breathtaking and timeless pieces created by Cartier for the Royal Family over the last century continue to be worn and appreciated, and rightly so. Breathtakingly beautiful, Cartier has inspired the creation of many pieces of vintage jewellery all around the world that continue to circulate and appreciate in value.
The collection of decadent pieces featuring the rarest gemstones and most jaw-dropping craftsmanship is only likely to grow and we are very excited to see how the collection develops with the next generation of Royals!
Author Bio
Daisy Moss is a freelance writer specialising in vintage jewellery. When she isn’t writing you will probably find her looking for her next investment in Hatton Garden.