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Cartier sapphire and diamond dragon cuff has a 74.88 carat aquamarine

Cartier Jewels

Diamond dragons and tassles at Art Basel Miami

It’s a testament to the enduring appeal of Cartier that it is so difficult to tell which of its designs are vintage, and which were conceived in the current day.

That became clear in Miami recently at the Cartier Dome, a spherical event space erected in the Miami Botanical Gardens across from the Art Basel Miami fair, which Cartier is a major sponsor of.

Top clients were feted at the dome throughout the week in a series of intimate dinners and cocktail soirees. Every hour on the hour, diamonds seemed to rain down inside the dome like a meteor shower thanks to a captivating 7-minute film by director David Lynch and commissioned by Cartier.

When the lights came back on, it was the jewels that commanded attention.

Showcases lining the perimeter of the room were ablaze with magnificent pieces flown in from around the world for the occasion.

A spread of yellow diamonds included a line bracelet of Chiclet-sized stones. The diamond Patiala necklace, created by Cartier for a maharajah in 1928, proved to be as long and wide as a lobster bib. Art Deco examples on display included a 1908 choker with a diamond garland totaling 23 carats surrounding a 5.86 carat swing drop diamond, all on a wide black grosgrain band. And Cartier’s signature animal cuffs included a dragon bracelet with a 1,747 diamond-body, two purple sapphire eyes, and a 74.88 carat aquamarine at the end of his tail. Kirsten Dunst wore the stunning cuff to a dinner honoring Lynch at the dome.

The week also saw the unveiling of Cartier's Tassle collection of fringed necklaces and earrings. Some are in pretty pastel hues of coral and aquamarine, while others come in stark Art Deco-style black and white.

“This could have been created in 1912, but in fact, it was made in our atelier two months ago,” noted Cartier North America president and CEO Frederic de Narp, while admiring a pearl, onyx and diamond necklace.

Cartier’s 28 designers have access to an archive of 380,000 pieces that they can draw on for ideas. But that is not to say that the legendary house hasn’t kept up with the times.

“Our designers get inspired by the past, but look to the future,” de Narp remarks. “They are thinking about lightness, about fluidity on the body, and about an expression of joy – a spark.”