Bracelet thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

Bracelet

1960-1 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

In the aftermath of the Second World War gemstones were prohibitively expensive and their trade rare. Gold jewellery therefore became fashionable and was in great demand.

To make the jewels more affordable the amount of precious metal was reduced by using wire, often corded in ornamental patterns. Pieces that appeared chunky were often hollow. The great jewellery houses of the time chose elaborate and playful designs.

The French jewellery house Cartier was founded in Paris in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier (1819-1904). It soon attracted European royalty and a prestigious clientele from around the world. This piece was made by an unidentified workshop in Belgium commissioned by Cartier.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Gold
Brief description
Bracelet, Belgium, 1960-1; made for Cartier, London
Dimensions
  • Height: 8.1cm
  • Width: 8.1cm
  • Depth: 0.9cm
Credit line
The Bettine, Lady Abingdon Collection, bequeathed by Mrs T.R.P. Hole
Subject depicted
Summary
In the aftermath of the Second World War gemstones were prohibitively expensive and their trade rare. Gold jewellery therefore became fashionable and was in great demand.

To make the jewels more affordable the amount of precious metal was reduced by using wire, often corded in ornamental patterns. Pieces that appeared chunky were often hollow. The great jewellery houses of the time chose elaborate and playful designs.

The French jewellery house Cartier was founded in Paris in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier (1819-1904). It soon attracted European royalty and a prestigious clientele from around the world. This piece was made by an unidentified workshop in Belgium commissioned by Cartier.
Collection
Accession number
M.134-1987

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Record createdDecember 13, 2007
Record URL
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