Cartier and the Panther – And the Woman Who Inspired It
When thinking of Cartier, which symbol comes to mind immediately? Exactly, it’s the panther. For more than 100 years, this feline has been part of Cartier’s jewellery – as brooches, necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings and the Maison also dedicated a watch to it, the iconic Panthère. How did the panther become inextricably linked to the French jewellery house? It is actually linked to a very interesting and trailblazing woman. Let’s have a look.
You can also watch my video here:
The Start of the Panther Relationship
Illustration by George Barbier, 1914.
The panther first appeared on an illustration commissioned by Louis Cartier, the grandson of the founder Louis-Francois Cartier, in 1914. He was one of three brothers managing Cartier at the time and he asked the illustrator George Barbier to create an illustration for the modern, independent woman – the “Dame à la Panthère” was born. This illustration depicts a woman in fashionable clothes and necklaces, a black panther lies at her feet. This artwork was not used as an advertisement to announce a new collection. The panther and its fur pattern were a popular motif at the time in France, particularly for home décor and fashion. It is likely that Louis Cartier also liked this trend, and maybe he was fascinated by the animal. In 1914, the panther pattern appeared on a Cartier piece for the first time, namely a watch. A year later, Pierre Cartier, Louis’s brother, acquired a chatelaine watch with a rectangular panther-patterned case made of onyx and diamonds. In 1917, Louis Cartier gave a cigarette case in diamonds, onyx and platinum to Jeanne Toussaint by Louis Cartier. This was Cartier’s first figurative reproduction of a panther and hints at the major driver for the panther’s success and its relationship to the house of Cartier.[1]
The pattern of the panther first appeared on a watch by Cartier in 1914.
The panther is actually linked to the previously-mentioned friend of Louis Cartier, the French style icon and jewellery designer Jeanne Toussaint. She was born in Belgium in 1887 and after a rather difficult childhood, she made her way to Paris where she ended up in artistic and social circles. Soon she became friends with people like Coco Chanel, she also knew George Barbier and Louis Cartier. There are rumours that Jeanne Toussaint and the married Louis Cartier were more than just friends, but there is no official proof for that. Cartier is said to have called Toussaint “Petite Panthère”, “little panther”, because of her strong and bold personality and her passion for panther fur coats. It is assumed that she was also the model for Barbier’s illustration for Cartier in 1914.[2]
Jeanne Toussaint photographed by Adolf de Meyer in 1920.
By 1913 Toussaint had joined Cartier and was in charge of bags, accessories and objets d’arts and in 1933 she became the director of haute joiallerie. Some people may have implied that this position was the result of her relationship with Louis Cartier, but she soon proved the critics wront. Toussaint was bold and a visionary and many of her designs became some of the most iconic designs of Cartier but also in history, despite haute joiallerie being a heavily male-dominated industry at the time. She is not only famous for the panther theme but also for reviving designs like the “Tutti Frutti” which reflects her interest in Indian jewellery, especially from the Mughal and Maharaja periods. Toussaint retired in the 1970s and until today, she is considered one of the most influential designers in jewellery history.[3]
In 1935, Cartier designed a three-dimensional ring with two panthers in yellow gold and black enamel. Toussaint was the driving force behind the panther designs for Cartier. They were a result of her interest in sculptured, three-dimensional jewellery in the 1940s – these were an antidote to the Art Déco style which had been dominant since the 1920s.[4]
The first brooch purchased by Wallis Simpson in 1948.
The “breakthrough” for the panther was in 1948 when Wallis Simpson acquired a panther brooch in yellow gold with emeralds and black enamel. It is the first time that the panther is used in its entirety. A year later, she acquired yet another panther brooch, this time a three-dimensional panther made of pavé sapphires and white and yellow diamonds. The panther sits on top of a 152.35-carat sapphire cabochon. From then on, the panther became a reoccurring motif for the Maison.[5]
Barbara Hutton with the “Golden Fleece” Cartier panther brooch.
A very interesting version of a panther was created in 1949: A brooch with a panther “hanging” in a strange, even creepy way. This depiction is similar to the ram of the Golden Fleece which goes back to Greek mythology. Nephele and her husband King Althamas split up and his new wife did not like the two stepchildren, the crown prince Phrixos and his sister Helle. Nephele, worried about the safety of her children asked Chrysomallos, a ram, for help. He flew the children to safety. Phrixos arrived in Kolchis at the Caucasus, Chrysomallos was sacrificed in the temple of Zeus to thank him – ironic, but this is the story. Aietes, the King of Kolchis received the fleece of the ram and had a dragon guard it. Later the Argonauts, among them Iason, stole it with the help of Aietes’s daughter Medea, who eventually married Iason.[6]
In the 15th century Philip, the Good, Duke of Burgundy, took up this mythological story and founded the Order of the Golden Fleece in Bruges, Flanders, to commemorate his wedding. This order split in two lines – through the Austrian Habsbourgs and the Spanish Bourbons and exists until today – membership is exclusive to Catholic noble men. In both branches, the ram, or rather its fleece, is part of their insignia and the necklace of the Austrian branch has a pendant with the ram which is hanging or draped in that same way as the panther in the Cartier design. It is “hanging” like that because it was not the “ram” anymore but only its fleece with the legs and head on it. The fleece also became a symbol of wealth as it was used to wash gold in rivers: It was placed in the rivers and would catch gold particles.[7]
The ram in the shape of the Golden Fleece insignia was very much on trend in the early second half of the 20th century. Cartier also sold designs with that ram. There is no written source explaining why Jeanne Toussaint decided to design a panther brooch imitating the ram of the Golden Fleece. It is very likely that it reflected the overall trend in jewellery design. Moreover, it may also stand for Cartier’s gold, status and connection to wealth.[8]This was one of many iconic Cartier panther designs and there were many more to come, as the panther motif increased in popularity also with Cartier’s illustrious clientele. In the 1950s, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan acquired multiple panther pieces and in the 1960s, the actress and singer María Félix commissioned a bracelet with two overlapping panthers.[9]
Angelina Jolie wearing the panther brooch which once belonged to opera diva Maria Callas.
Recently, a beautiful vintage item took the stage in Venice when Angelina Jolie wore a panther brooch made of gold, emeralds and black lacquer and the panther sits on a white chalcedony. Today it is part of Cartier’s own collection but this brooch was once owned by opera diva Maria Callas. Jolie wore it not only in the film where she starred the diva but also at the press conference for the movie in Venice.[10]
Until today, the panther has been a core part of the Cartier-DNA – not only for its jewellery but also as part of their watch collection with the infamous Cartier Panthère watch The sky is the limit and I would like to share two beauties: Firstly, a high jewellery watch blending its baguette watch and the panther from 2014 – the feline seems to protect the dial with its paws. The second one is this beautiful necklace from 2017 with aquamarines and emeralds. It looks like the panther moves out of a waterfall.[11]
Disclaimer
This article is based on the personal, views, experiences and research of the author, no fees were received by the organisations and people mentioned above. All information is alleged, as of the date of publishing/updating and for entertainment purposes only.
Footnotes
[1] Cartier 2025b, SJX 2025, Sotheby’s 2025.
[2-5] ibid.
[6] Heinrich Butschal 2025, Science News 2025.
[7-8] ibid.
[9] Cartier 2025a.
[10] ibid.
[11] Cartier 2025a & 2025b.
Sources
Cartier, Official Website, last accessed on 19 August 2025.
Cartier, The Panthère through Time, last accessed on 19 August 2025.
Heinrich Butschal, Schmuckgutachten & Goldschmiede, Online Forum, post published on 14 August 2016, last accessed on 19 August 2025.
Science News, Golden Fleece myth was based on real events, geologists contend, published on 25 November 2014, Bruce Bower, last accessed on 19 August 2025.
SJX, ‘Cartier, Icon of Style’ Exhibition Opens in Singapore, published on 26 November 2018, last accessed on 19 August 2025.
Sotheby’s, How Jeanne Toussaint Inspired and Popularized the Iconic Cartier Panthère, last accessed on 19 August 2025.
Sources Title Image
Cartier Official Website
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