The Clash de Cartier collection takes on new forms with Clash [Un]limited
Locked and loaded with riot-inciting motifs and off-centre materials, the Clash [Un]Limited, made for the bravehearted, is a total knockout.
Putting the words “maximalism” and “fine jewellery” in the same sentence may be oxymoronic to some but at the same time it would be awfully uncharacteristic of Cartier to conform and colour within the lines. Clash de Cartier is one of the many instances that demonstrates the house’s blatant disregard for conventions. The sharply bipolar range turns tradition on its head, throwing the graphic studs, beads and clous carrés— retrieved from the brand’s own archive—into the blender which in turn spits out a singular, ribbed mesh that inspires as much as it dismays.
Enter the all-new Clash [Un]Limited. Equally stunning and even more subversive in comparison with its predecessors, the capsule collection sees Cartier leading the rebellion further into the field with the clash of opposing attitudes amplified. One of the defining features of the latest output is the sheer exaggeration in the volume of the pieces. Here, oversized curved studs are met with hand-cut natural stones whose dimensions have been altered to create a play of proportions that grows increasingly wider against a backdrop of diamond paving.
And while on the subject, those brilliant diamonds are now paired with unique stones to conjure an intense burst of colour. Black onyx cones and purple amethyst studs form an unlikely alliance as they mix and mismatch, creating an emphatic contrast. The risk taken with the colour combo, which clocked up many workshop hours at the design studios where the artisans exerted themselves to explore all the possibilities in approaching the gemstones, pays handsomely as it further highlights the geometric lines of the novelties.
Cartier’s design mastery goes beyond the aesthetic. Pushing the boundaries while still maintaining a grip on the reality of jewellery-wearing, the house has accorded each composition with ultra-flexibility. Take the multi-stud rings and bracelets as an example. The pyramid-shaped cones embellishing the pieces are precisely separated from one another to ensure freedom of movement and the studs are connected to an onyx bead tucked on the inside that rotates on its own axis, allowing them to move laterally.
Not stopping there, Cartier has also upped its gem-setting game with the reverse positioning of the diamonds inspired by the traditional tennis line. Across a number of precious creations, the pavilion of the stone becomes the stud as the flat table surface is fixed onto the skin side. The jeweller further flexes its craftsmanship muscle as it employs the Shagreen setting: a setting made up of a complex and meticulous selection of stones in different sizes that hold themselves together without the need for claws.
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