Anant Ambani wore the ‘Cartier panther brooch’ on his engagement; know about its rich history

“The Cartier panther brooches are usually made in platinum or gold and bodies pave set with brilliant diamonds and the panther rosettes are made of cabochon cut onyx. The nose is black onyx too and the dazzling eyes made of pear-shaped emeralds,” she wrote, adding that the allure of ‘Panthère de Cartier’ has left many people smitten.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Deepthi Sasidharan (@lampglow) 

The expert added that the jewel “stays a striking testament to the wealth and a timeless favourite, endlessly reinvented”.

We reached out to Akansha Wadhwani, Assistant Professor, World University of Design, Sonipat, Haryana, who further traced the history of this iconic brooch since its debut in 1914. “The panther brooch was designed by Jacques Cartier, the third generation of the Cartier family, in 1914. The brooch was created as a gift for the wife of Russian Grand Duke George Mikhailovich. The panther was inspired by the French literary classic, ‘The Lady and the Panther’ by Jean de La Fontaine. The panther was used to represent strength and power, and the brooch was designed to embody these same characteristics,” she told indianexpress.com.

She shared that the original Cartier panther brooch was set with rubies and diamonds, and featured two panthers — one facing to the right and one facing to the left. The Panthers were set with emerald eyes and adorned with a diamond-set collar. The brooch was made of 18-karat yellow gold and measured 6.5 cm in length.

Over the years, Prof Wadhwani mentioned, the brooch became a symbol of luxury and power. “In 1925, the panther was featured in the Cartier ‘Tutti Frutti’ collection. It also featured in the Cartier ‘Mystery’ collection in the 1930s.”

The Ambani family wore stunning ethnic ensembles (Source: RIL)

Apart from that, the brooch also found a place on the red carpets with various celebrities adorning it. “It has been seen on the red carpet, including being worn by actors such as Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchett and Sarah Jessica Parker. It has also been featured in Cartier’s advertising campaigns and is a popular choice for brides around the world,” Wadhwani added.

Prof Devender Singh Kharb, School of Fashion, World University of Design, highlighted that various animals have been portrayed in Cartier’s works, over the years. “From lions to tigers, bears, butterflies, snakes, and turtles. However, the kings of the jewel jungle are the Panthères de Cartier. The Maison has been making jewellery inspired by these cats for over a century. Famous names like the Duchess of Windsor and Jay-Z even own entire collections of Cartier jewellery featuring the renowned panther motif,” he said.

📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!