The Perfect Clash: Clash de Cartier

Clash de Cartier is a classic fine jewellery line interpreted with a punk spirit

By The Time Place Magazine

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Why should we label our styles classic or eccentric if we can do both? Launched for the first time in 2019, Clash de Cartier has been an icon built upon the idea of a clash of opposing sides, and its new additions are more powerful and confident than before. The pieces may look simple, but if you take a closer look, the collection – which arrives in the form of earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets – is definitely complex with detailed craftsmanship.

The new Clash de Cartier amplifies the dualities within the historic Maison’s codes, playing with duplication and textural counterparts to create a visual language of rhythm and intensity. The perfect blend of beads, studs and clou carré makes the collection absolutely stand out. These three strong elements project the uncompromising aesthetic of punk, while their tactility invites a playful interaction from the wearer. The pure lines and rounded volume of beads and studs are comfortable, even when pressed against the skin.

The signature row of clou carré, which is the striking backbone of this new collection, is doubled up in a new ring and pair of earrings as well as a flexible bracelet and necklace of elegant articulation. All of these are available in rose gold or rose gold set with diamonds. The pieces are strikingly sculptural with fully integrated clasps on the bracelets and necklaces. Furthermore, the twin rows of central studs add appealing volume that captivate the eyes.

Cultivating further contrasts with volume, the new XL ring, bracelet, necklace, and earrings see the collection’s signature picot stud find its mirror image across a dividing line of diamond paving. In continuing the spirit of innovation, the Maison added a new material, in the form of onyx, to this new collection. Round onyx beads add depth and a soft, seamless volume that contrasts with the assertive rhythm and shining rose gold of the pointed stud.

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This new collection is all about elegance and simplicity, and its composition hides a complexity of design that draws on generations of savoir-faire. Using expertise honed throughout the years, the flexible pieces are carefully constructed to ensure that the mobility of the double rows feels fluid for the wearer, with up to 600 different components to assemble. The gem-setting knowhow of Cartier is also wonderfully showcased with the setting of diamonds into unique shapes, requiring careful attention to maximise sparkle while keeping the instantly-recognisable lines of the Clash de Cartier collection intact. The XL pieces present a technical and aesthetic challenge for the lapidarist: that is to create perfectly geometric beads of onyx that share a soft volume.

Last, but not least, let’s talk about the signature picot stud from this new collection. Cartier’s repertoire of forms finds beauty in everyday objects. In the proportions and relief of the picot stud, the jeweller’s eye reveals timeless elegance with a rebellious spirit. The origin of the picot stud began when the conical shape was first introduced to the Maison’s creations in the early 20th century, and a picot-studded headpiece made a strong impression on the general public at the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, where Cartier enthralled visitors with the Maison’s distinct creations. Thanks to the creative directorship of the legendary Jeanne Toussaint, who was at the helm of the Maison from 1933 to the 1970s, the picot continued as a signature of the Maison, as repeated in lines, articulated in links, or as an additional element in the profusion of texture and visual extravagance.