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Cartier and Pearls

6 posts · 6 webinars · 8 glossary terms

In the early 1900s, natural pearls were among the most valuable objects in the world, and the Cartier brothers were deeply involved in the pearl trade. Jacques made several trips to Bahrain and India to buy directly from the source. These posts trace that chapter of the firm's history, at a moment when the pearl market was about to be transformed beyond recognition.

From the Glossary

A woman wearing a long natural pearl necklace, c.1900 — the era when natural pearls commanded extraordinary prices Natural Pearl A pearl formed without human intervention inside a wild mollusc, the... The Cultured Pearl Revolution The introduction of commercially viable cultured pearls in the 1920s... Bahrain Pearl Diving Heritage The pearl diving tradition of Bahrain, a practice largely unchanged... The Gulf Pearl Trade The centuries-old trade in natural pearls from the Persian Gulf, which... Mae Caldwell Plant (Maisie Plant), portrait painting Maisie Plant American socialite whose husband Morton F. Plant traded the family... Ceylon Travels Jacques Cartier's repeated journeys to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) from the...
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From the Archives

Historic Cartier jewelry piece from Bonhams auction
Cartier jewelry from Gillon Jewels collection
Vintage Cartier jewelry piece from family archives
Historic Cartier bracelet design
Cartier necklace from historical collection
Antique Cartier brooch design
Cartier ring from vintage collection
Historic Cartier tiara from archives
Cartier earrings vintage design
Antique Cartier pendant from collection
Historic Cartier bracelet from family archives
Vintage Cartier jewelry piece