To celebrate the reopening of its boutique inside ION Orchard in Singapore, Cartier is staging a 13-day exhibition, Cartier, Icon of Style, which showcases a selection of jeweller’s most iconic and fascinating creations from throughout its 171-year-old history.

Located on the top floor of the flagship boutique, the exhibition consists of 23 pieces of jewellery from the Cartier Collection, the jeweller’s treasure trove of historical baubles, objects and timepieces.

With a value in the tens of millions, the jewels were flown in from Paris for the exhibition, fully insured, naturally. Beyond their value, all of the items on show tell a story, with most having been owned by celebrities or notable personalities.

The exhibition includes one of the jeweller’s wildest commissions, a 22-inch long snake necklace set with almost 2,500 diamonds that owned by the late María Félix, considered to be the most beautiful face in the history of Mexican cinema.

Maria Felix and her snake

Barbara Hutton and her tiger

Another highlight of the exhibition are the tiger-motif ear clips and brooch, finished in canary yellow diamonds and onyx, that once belonged to grocery store heiress Barbara Hutton, the “poor little rich girl”.

Another signature Cartier jewellery design that is part of the exhibition is the candy-coloured Tutti Frutti bracelet and brooch that were once owned by composer Cole Porter’s wife, the wealthy Linda Lee Thomas.

The 1929 Tutti Frutti jewels owned by Mrs Cole Porter

But the exhibition also includes watches: a delicate wristwatch from 1914 with a platinum case set with diamonds and onyx to replicate the hide of a spotted panther, which represents Cartier’s very first use of the now familiar panthere motif that is a frequent sight in the exhibition.

A double-headed panther bangle that once belonged to Nina Dyer, the French socialite famous for having married two fabulously rich men, Baron Heinrich von Thyssen and the Aga Khan

But the star of the show are perhaps the jewels made for the Duchess of Windsor, the former Wallis Simpson, who loved Cartier panther jewellery. They include a sumptuous platinum and gold bib necklace set with amethysts and spheres of turquoise, and a bodacious panther-shaped brooch that is essentially an enormous, 152.35 carat Kashmir sapphire.

The Duchess and her necklace

Just over 152 carats

Event information

Cartier, Icon of Style taken place from November 24 to December 6, and is open daily from 12pm to 9pm Mondays to Fridays, and 10.30am to 9pm on weekends.

Admission is free but visitors are encouraged to register in advance at Cartier-ion.sg.

ION Orchard
#01-20 & #02-10
2 Orchard Turn
Singapore 238801