In 2014, Cartier turned a rare group of five Colombian emeralds into a matching set of jewels on a reptilian theme, as exhibited at the 27th Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris.
Cartier reunited an outstanding cluster of five emeralds. It all began with the purchase of a 9.04-carat Colombian emerald whose purity, brilliance, color and unusual square shape indicated its venerable age. Shortly afterward, Cartier came across four other emeralds of the same origin and of identical quality. The idea of designing a matching set of jewelry seemed obvious.
The “hot” green color of the emeralds, combined with their South American provenance, prompted Cartier to adopt a crocodile theme, incarnated by a necklace, bracelet, ring and pendant earrings.
The largest emerald was reserved for the necklace, the key item of the set, in the form of a naturalistic crocodile. In addition to recreating the reptile’s anatomy with complete accuracy, Cartier managed to make the predator’s temperament and character apparent: the crocodile jealously guards the 9.04-carat emerald, clutched between its mouth and tail.
The fifth and last emerald of the group, a 3.81-carat stone, is set on a chunky ring that skillfully introduces a note of abstraction. The presence of the crocodile is indicated through its scales, represented by pavé-set diamonds punctuated by obsidians, and through its crest of white gold.