Diamonds are forever: Cartier in Melbourne
Melbourne will get a serious dose of sparkle come next June. Coming straight from London's Victoria & Albert Museum, where the exhibition is still on show but fully booked until November, "Cartier" will feature over 300 stunning bejewelled pieces showcasing the French jewellery house's exceptional craftsmanship.
The exhibition charts the evolution and artistic legacy of the jewellery house, including its transformation at the turn of the twentieth century by brothers Louis, Pierre and Jacques Cartier, grandsons of the house's founder Louis-François Cartier. The brothers established branches in Paris, London and New York, and honed Cartier's inimitable style by bringing design and manufacturing in-house.
Photos above: Elizabeth Taylor at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas, June 1958 © Photofest; Rose Clip Brooch Cartier London, special order, 1938 Diamonds and platinum. Owned by HRH Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon Cartier Collection Vincent Wulveryck, Cartier Collection © Cartier
With an enviable client list of royalty and aristocracy, Cartier was described as 'the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers' by King Edward VII, who granted his Royal Warrant in 1904.
A major highlight of the exhibition will be a display of more than 20 magnificent tiaras, a timeless symbol of royalty, glamour and artistry – and some of Cartier's most celebrated creations.
With symbolic links to the laurel wreaths of classical antiquity and celestial halos, the tiara has been worn for centuries across cultures from Asia to Europe. The spectacular display includes Cartier's celebrated Scroll tiara (1902), crafted in the house's signature 'Garland style' and worn by Clementine Churchill at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and by Rihanna on the cover of W magazine in 2016. Others include the Sun tiara of 1907 with a 32-carat fancy intense yellow diamond in its centre; and the Art Deco diamond and platinum Halo tiara of 1934, which was inspired by ancient Egypt and owned by Her Highness the Begum Aga Khan III.
Nellie Melba, her father, David Mitchell, and a young girl (Nellie's niece, Nellie Paterson), in Melbourne, Australia, 1903. Bain News Service, Publisher
Elizabeth Taylor's 1951 ruby and diamond necklace, featuring seven Burmese rubies in a geometric diamond latticework, will be displayed. Taylor described the piece as "like the sun – lit up and made of red fire." The exhibition also includes Princess Margaret's diamond rose clip brooch (1938) and substantial selections from the Duchess of Windsor's collection, including her Flamingo brooch (1947) and Panther sapphire clip brooch (1949) with its 152.35-carat Kashmir cabochon sapphire.
Named for their colourful use of rubies, emeralds and blue sapphires, a rich selection of Cartier's iconic Tutti Frutti jewels will also feature.
The exhibition will highlight Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba, an early Cartier client during the firm's rise to international fame for its 'Garland style' jewellery—platinum pieces decorated with floral swags, bows and precious gems. Pierre Cartier admired Dame Nellie, and the exhibition includes his signed 1902 photograph of her, alongside necklaces and bodice ornaments she wore both onstage and in everyday life.
A new element of the NGV presentation focuses on Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier's Creative Director from 1933 to 1970, and her innovative design aesthetic, particularly the panther motif that remains one of the house's most recognisable symbols.
The exhibition will also include a selection of timepieces demonstrating Cartier's technical innovations in watchmaking, as well as contemporary works featuring Australian opals.
Cartier will be on display at NGV International from 12 June to 4 October 2026.
