Timeless: Legendary Cartier Watches And Jewelery That Never Go Out Of Style

What do we mean when we call a thing an icon? Of course, we are talking about innovative design, and about an impressive history, and about the beauty of form. But, perhaps, the most important thing is timeless relevance, the rare ability of a subject to speak with each next generation in its language and to communicate something completely new to everyone.

As this dialogue is happening today, the pages of Bazaar show five models - very young, very different and very promising. In our shoot, they showcase key looks for the spring / summer 2021 season, complemented by Cartier legends - Tank watches, Ballon Bleu, Panthère and Santos de Cartier watches, Love and Juste un Clou bracelets and Trinity ring. All together looks so organic that it's hard to believe: some of the icons of the French House are more than a hundred years old.

Pierre Rainero, Director of Style and Heritage at Cartier, has no doubt that the secret of timeless appeal lies in simplicity. “It's eye-catching and easy to read,” he says. "But at the same time, there is nothing more complicated in terms of design than creating a simple thing." The best example of ingenious and simple is the first modern wristwatch Santos de Cartier. Louis Cartier invented them in 1904 for his friend, pioneer of world aviation Alberto Santos-Dumont, and at the same time solved the pressing problem of pilots, who had previously had to check the time on a pocket watch in flight.

Iconic Tanks also appeared more than a century ago and got their militaristic name during the First World War. However, the laconic model really took off already in peacetime: among her admirers were such indisputable style icons as Yves Saint Laurent, Andy Warhol, Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana.

Trinity rings come from 1924 as well. And here the key to success is the purity of the lines plus a powerful emotional component: three intertwined rings in different shades of gold symbolize friendship, love and loyalty, and a subtle play with the traditional form guarantees not only visual but also tactile pleasure.

Aldo Chipullo, the author of another legend of the House, the Love bracelet, released in 1969, interpreted the theme of love in his own way. The laconic and brutal jewelry with decorative screws, which was fastened and unfastened with a special screwdriver, became clear at first glance as a visual metaphor, as if created for the era of instagram. “This is a story of eternal devotion,” says Rainero. “And the fact that she is so fond of the new generation testifies to the strength and originality of design ideas.”

Two years later, Chipullo came up with Juste un Clou, transforming a bent nail into a jewel that hugs the wrist. When Cartier re-released the bracelet in 2012, the ingenious concept and industrial elegance of the design were in tune with the times. Although the guardian of the House's heritage wonders if it is too early to call Juste un Clou an icon, the facts speak for themselves. This jewelry cannot be confused with any other, it does not require a special occasion and finds a common language with everyone - regardless of race, age or gender. As Pierre Rainerau observes, "all are equal before a beautiful object."

HAIRSTYLES: TINA OUTEN USING BUMBLE & BUMBLE; MAKEUP: RAISA FLOWERS; MANICURE: MEGUMI YAMAMOTO FOR SUSAN PRICE NYC; CASTING: DAVID CHEN CASTING; PRODUCER WILLIAM GALUSHA; RETOUCH: ABBY HARRISON; MODELS: AMIRA PINHEIRO @ELITE; ASH FOO @NYMM; MIA BROWN @NEXT; OPHELIE GUILLERMAND @ELITE; SASHA KNYSH @ MUSE.