How the most iconic jewellery brands reinvent signature pieces, from Chanel’s new lion necklace and Cartier’s panther watch, to Van Cleef & Arpels’ clover bracelet and Chaumet’s tiara-inspired rings

Dec 31 , 2022

This Panthère de Cartier necklace takes a classic motif and gives it a contemporary twist. Photo: Cartier

If you own luxury jewellery, chances are you have a signature piece – an Alhambra necklace from Van Cleef & Arpels, a Cartier Love bangle or a Trinity ring – and brands are careful to keep freshening up these icons for the next generation.

The panther has been Cartier’s spirit animal for close to a century. Over the years, Cartier has captured the feline in various poses using gold and an array of precious stones. One of the most iconic pieces of panther jewellery from the house was a brooch commissioned by none other than renowned jewellery collector and style icon herself, Wallis Simpson. At the centre of the Duchess of Windsor’s brooch is a cabochon sapphire, with a panther covered entirely in diamonds and onyx set on top.

Sculpted panthers continue to find their way into Cartier’s pieces, even beyond the high jewellery collections. The house keeps breathing new life into its icon with a nod to the big cat in some contemporary designs.

Rings and bangles from the Panthère de Cartier collection present a more angular take on the feline, with pieces accented with minimal gemstones better suited for daily wear. Some are finding their way to collectors who stack them with Cartier’s other signature designs, such as the Love and Juste un Clou bracelets.

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Panthère de Cartier timepiece with a black onyx and gold bracelet. Photo: Cartier

In an attempt to bring the big cat to its watch collection, the house painted the dials and bracelets of gold Panthère de Cartier watches with black enamel to imitate the big cat’s spots.

Much like Cartier’s panther, Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra collection has a long list of famous patrons, including royals like the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton and Queen Consort Camilla. The four-leaf clover motif is instantly recognisable and has been expressed in many ways over the years.

The house has used enamel, mother-of-pearl, malachite and other gemstones to craft the clover leaves, outlined in gold. This technique of framing stones and other precious materials with the metal has inspired Van Cleef & Arpels to expand the collection beyond the symbolic good luck charm. In this way, the clover has appeared in earrings, and in multiples in bracelets and multi-strand necklaces.

A Van Cleef & Arpels vintage Alhambra motif necklace using letterwood. Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels

Van Cleef & Arpels, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the collection in 2018, has added to the design over the years to include ladybirds, hearts, petals and leaf charms. The jeweller has also played with the design’s proportions, with mini and jumbo-sized versions.

Also a firm believer in good luck charms, Coco Chanel repeatedly returned to the number 5; the lion, which represented her astrological sign Leo; comets and the camellia flower for inspiration.

The brand’s new 1932 Collection goes long on diamonds, Chanel’s favourite gems, but the most sensational design – the Lion Necklace – also derives impact from the use of a big cat. The regal beast, carved from rutilated crystal, stands on top of a diamond shooting star from which hangs a huge, 32-carat yellow diamond representing the year the collection first launched.

All that glitters: inside the history between crown jewels and luxury brands

The Josephine Aigrette ring featuring an aquamarine centrepiece. Photo: Chaumet

Best known for its tiaras, French jeweller Chaumet has found a clever way to bring something new to its most famous designs. The house, once the official jeweller for Napoleon Bonaparte, is known for creating a tiara for his one-time wife, Empress Josephine. The jeweller creatively took the tiara silhouette and designed a collection of rings based on it, but harnessing the versatility and wearability of modern jewellery.

Paying homage to Josephine and Napoleon’s love story, the Josephine Aigrette rings are favourites for brides who want something less conventional. At the centre of the design is a pear-shaped stone, a design detail that has since inspired a full collection that includes necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

These designs aim to captivate a new generation of jewellery lovers, ensuring that favoured icons retain their ability to transcend trends and fads.

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Jewellery 2022

Jewellers are drawing inspiration from their iconic designs to captive a new generation – like the Lion Necklace from Chanel’s latest 1932 Collection with its nod to Coco Chanel’s star sign
Cartier’s instantly recognisable panther was incorporated into a contemporary watch, while Van Cleef & Arpels’ clover good luck charm now forms the basis of its Alhambra collection