Anyone who has ever stopped in their tracks because of a shiny, decorative object – be it a timepiece or a piece of jewellery – in a store window knows that beauty is a thoroughly emotional experience. In an op-ed for The New York Times in 2013, American architect Lance Hosey wrote, “Brain scan studies reveal that the sight of an attractive product can trigger the part of the motor cerebellum that governs hand movement. Instinctively, we reach out for attractive things; beauty literally moves us.” fashion & watches Named Sixieme Sens (sixth sense in French), Cartier’s latest high-jewellery collection focuses on the “unique emotional power” of this exalted art form. The pieces evoke distant lands and represent abstractions of reality. To bring to life designs that wow the viewer – even if they cannot articulate why – the house’s artisans skilfully combine stones that are thousands of years old using specialist techniques and their time-honed creativity. In this collection, there’s almost always more than meets the eye. When viewed directly from the front, for instance, the Meride necklace looks like a flat necklace with a chequerboard pattern, formed from diamonds, onyx and rock crystal. However, get closer, and you’ll notice the fluidity and three-dimensionality of this statement piece – qualities made possible by mounting the various elements on different levels. Equally impressive is the fact that the necklace looks the same when viewed from the back. Consider us awed.
01 PHAAN RING
The 8.2-carat ruby of the platinum Phaan ring would stun enough on its own. To make the ruby even more exceptional, Cartier has employed a tiered construction that sees a 4.01-carat rose-cut diamond placed beneath it. Light intensifies the red hue of the ruby when it passes through both stones. Tiny ruby balls and diamonds with subtle openings that let light pass through surround the central ruby, emphasising its beauty.
02 PARHELIA RING
Anchored by a 21.51-carat sapphire cabochon, the Parhelia ring conjures the image of water rippling out in waves from a deep-blue centre. Five curved lines of diamonds and emeralds fan out from each side of the sapphire, with black lacquer between the rows heightening the shadow effects and hence the impression of movement. In another sleight of hand, the key element can be detached and worn as a brooch as well. After all, people don’t just enjoy being delighted – we love a pleasant surprise, too.
03 PIXELAGE NECKLACE
It’s pretty impressive that Cartier has continuously reinterpreted its signature panther motif in ways that always feel fresh. Combining an Art Deco-like form and the concept of pixelation, the Pixelage necklace is a stylised representation of the big cat. Polished onyxes evoke its spots; white, yellow and orange diamonds represent its thick fur; and three golden topazes weighing 27.34 carats symbolise its golden glow. The necklace has been carefully constructed to maintain its vertical arrangement and flexibility.
This article first appeared on The Peak Singapore.
