From the House of Cartier, Nouvelle Joaillerie Egypte
Collection, these sensational hoop ear clips, crafted in 18 karat yellow and
white gold, feature 6 majestic elephants crafted in yellow gold with emerald
eyes, marching on a brushed white gold background. These striking ear clips
measure 1.25 inches in length and 0.59 of an inch at their widest part. Thy
weigh 49.6 grams.
This unique piece of fine jewelry exemplifies the fine
craftsmanship and attention to detail which is synonymous with the House of
Cartier.
Founded in Paris in 1847, by Louis-Francois Cartier, the
firm known as Cartier quickly became recognized for its exemplary workmanship
and taste. Louis-Francois Cartier began his esteemed career at 28, after an
apprenticeship with master watchmaker Adolphe Picard resulted in Cartier taking
over the master’s workshop, 29 rue Montorgueil, Paris. He expanded the premises
and built his reputation on knowing how to satisfy the most extravagant of
desires. By 1853 Louis Francois was able to move his business to the more
fashionable Palais-Royal district at 5 Rue Neuve des petits Champs. He became a
favorite of Princess Mathilde, the cousin of Napoleon III, whose patronage
opened the door to Parisian society. In 1874 Alfred Cartier took over the
company from his father Louis Francois. In 1898 the Cartier firm made a final
move in Paris and they still remain at 13 Rue de La Paix, in the heart of
Parisian elegance and luxury. Alfred Cartier entrusted his three sons to manage
the Maison de Cartier Among Louis Cartier’s most important and lasting
innovations was introducing the combination of platinum and diamonds to create
garland style jewelry. Cartier wove the platinum into extremely fine threads to
bring out the sparkle of the diamonds, making platinum a legitimate and
irreplaceable precious metal in jewelry making.
