Q&a / How Cartier designed its latest Nature Sauvage collection, according to creative director of high jewellery Jacqueline Karachi – plus her favourite pieces from the brand

Oct 18 , 2024

Cartier’s creative director of high jewellery Jacqueline Karachi talks about designing the latest Nature Sauvage collection, and her favourite pieces from it and previous collections. Photos: Handout

Guests at the Vienna unveiling tried to guess which animal was being celebrated as the interpretation of nature is never too literal – though the spirit must be clearly Cartier

Karachi picks out the Panthère des Glace as particularly special, and also recalls an older snake-shaped piece called Eternity she designed for Cartier’s 150th anniversary

For its latest high jewellery collection, unveiled in Vienna in May, Cartier once again paid homage to a menagerie of creatures. Named Nature Sauvage (“savage nature”), the collection offers a new take on Cartier’s signature animals – chief among them the celebrated panther – with pieces that blur the lines between figurative and abstract.

While previewing the creations in the Austrian capital, editors and VIP guests had fun trying to figure out which beasts or birds were the inspiration behind necklaces, brooches, earrings, rings and other striking jewels.

Cartier Koaga necklace from the Nature Sauvage collection

As Jacqueline Karachi, Cartier’s creative director of high jewellery, explained at the time, the inspiration from nature or the animal kingdom is never too literal. The focus is always on timeless designs that are clearly and uniquely Cartier.

Tell us about Nature Sauvage and Cartier’s connection to the animal kingdom.

For this collection we wanted to present a fresh look at the Cartier menagerie with a new spirit. We wanted to showcase the character and spirit of the animals and show them in very unexpected environments. In the past they worked a lot on the skin of the animal like the crocodile and the panther, so it’s more abstract and like a pattern and has textures.

Deepika Padukone wearing the Cartier Celestun necklace from the Nature Sauvage high jewellery collection

What does high jewellery represent to a brand like Cartier?

Haute joaillerie is like haute couture: wearable masterpieces. It’s very complex to make pieces like that because they have to be very articulated and wearable and adaptable to fit every client. You can modify the body of the panther, for instance, or the bracelet, or the size of the ring so it’s a unique piece that can be adapted for each client. Compared to the past, high jewellery clients are younger. We try to find new challenges and new ways of wearing jewellery. It’s very interesting and challenging for the craftsmen.

How did you source stones for this collection?

When we went looking for stones, we talked to the team and every stone we chose was in the spirit of the animal. When we picked the stone we had to think of the animal we could design around it. We looked for stones based on the idea. But sometimes a stone is so great that we design around it, regardless of the theme.