Timeless Beauties

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing when Cecilia Fioravanti told me that she had chosen me to be one of her special guests for an exclusive dinner in Milan for the opening of the Cartier Design Exhibition. I met Cecilia on one of my trips to Florence when I checked out the Cartier store there. Of course, it is located at the most important shopping street of the city, via Tournabuoni. Florence is blessed with old historical buildings and Cartier’s boutique is in one of them. The boutique’s ceiling is a conversation piece in itself. The rest of the interior is left simple to complement the old structure. When you talk about personal service, the directress of Cartier Florence is on top of my list. You will certainly go back not only because of the highest quality of merchandise Cartier is known for, but also because of the highest quality of service they provide. I was more than happy to accept the invitation. It was a dream come true for me.

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I actually saw the distinct pieces of Cartier designs I had only seen in books and magazines. The exhibit-cum-dinner for a limited number of guests was set at the historic Palazzo Reale, one of the most beautiful architectures of 18th-century Milan. Located in the heart of the city next to the Duomo, it was the former residence of Milan’s rulers and now, it is used as a setting for important expositions. Originally shown at the Vitra Design Museum in Berlin, over 200 pieces from the Art of Cartier Collection, unique illustrations of the different styles and techniques which have mapped out Cartier’s jewelry collection were shown in a setting designed by leading contemporary architect Ettore Sottsass.

Born in Austria, he received a degree from the Turin Politechnico in 1939. He played an international role in design innovation during the pre and postwar years. In the Eighties, he set up a group together with his colleagues, friends and internationally renowned artists called the Memphis group. The group aimed to revive radical design. It soon became the flagship of "new design" and a landmark of contemporary avant-garde movement. Sottsass personally chose pieces from among the over 1,000 kept in the private collection of the Cartier house. He allowed his sensitivity, instinct and experience to select pieces for their function, colors and forms. His interpretation was purely based on design. The value of the materials used, display of wealth and other social factors were irrelevant. Cartier’s 150-year history was told in a nighttime route where the 50 temples were particularly lit. It was like a mysterious revelation. The special pieces seemed to be floating in the air. Each piece was left to expose its beauty. One would definitely appreciate the human talent of creativity in every twist and turn, from Art Deco works to pins created into necklaces in the beginning of the Seventies, tiaras encrusted with diamonds, emeralds, lacquer, corals, sapphires, jades, yellow gold necklaces, earrings, bracelets, clocks, bags, beauty cases and cigarette cases.

Cartier interpreted the exclusive tastes of the privileged world through decades. For the Maharaja of Nawanagar, the mysterious elephant gold and platinum clock on an 18th-century green jade sculpture, the Tiger opera glasses in gold, black enamel and emeralds for the Duchess of Windsor, then also the platinum Panther pin in sapphire cabochon and pavé diamonds, president of the Society of London Fashion Designers Daisy Fellowes’ platinum Tutti Frutti necklace with sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and diamonds (my personal favorite!), a platinum bracelet with rock crystals and diamonds belonging to Gloria Swanson, gold crocodiles neckpiece encrusted with cabochon emeralds and rubies owned by Maria Felix and Barbara Hutton’s Tiger earrings and pin in pavé white and yellow diamonds with marquis-cut emerald eyes. All were part of the show and they were breathtaking to say the least! It was really human talent at its best.

Then to add icing to the cake, I was able to visit the newly finished Cartier boutique along the shopping hot spot of Milan, via Montenapoleone. It stops hundreds of people every year. Original molds of historic jewelry, Keiichi Tahara art, sculptures, period furniture in a warm, luxurious and intimate setting are perfect for the vintage and new designs of the house. Perhaps the most distinct and impressive accent of all was an almost floor-to-ceiling handmade Venetian glass chandelier specially designed for the boutique. It was a job well done. For once, a setting of exclusive jewelry is not made intimidating and cold. It is definitely worth a visit – even if you do not intend to buy anything.

I still couldn’t believe that this really happened. I had to pinch myself to make sure I was not in dreamland. It was definitely a dream come true.

After seeing Cartier’s collection, you realize that absolute beauty is universal and timeless. It knows no bounds. It lasts forever.

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Send queries and suggestions to: joyce_orena@yahoo.com.