‘Cartier and America’ Showcases Lavish Lives

The Legion of Honor’s stunning exhibition, “Cartier and America,” offers a unique opportunity to see some of the luxury jeweler’s most impressive pieces, many seen here in the United States for the first time.

Many will flock to see the personal diamond suite worn by Princess Grace of Monaco — certainly nothing to sniff at, a 10.47 carat, emerald-cut diamond ring with two baguettes set in platinum.

Others will want to imagine what it would be like to be Elizabeth Taylor, laying in the sun on Cap-Ferrat in 1957 and “surprised” by then-husband Mike Todd with an intoxicating suite of diamonds and rubies in a necklace and matching earrings. In the accompanying home movie from that time, Taylor is so ecstatic that she puts them on then and there, despite the fact she is in a swimming pool in a one-piece white bathing suit. And why not?

The show tells a compelling tale not just of wealth and lavish lifestyles, but of the craft of creating jewelry that spoke as much of the period as it did of those who wore them.

These are jewels that were loved for their stunning beauty and magic. Now, with most of those who owned them long gone, their fire burns just as brightly. These are gems that are sure to mesmerize a perhaps more sober audience of museum visitors, who might wonder: why did they spend money on these things? Honey, if you have to ask you’ll never know.

Read my San Francisco Chronicle interview with exhibition curator Martin Chapman and Pierre Rainero, Cartier’s image, style, and heritage director. Click here.

Leave a Reply

Click here to cancel reply.

You must be logged in to post a comment.