Cartier Libre Tutti Frutti

CARTIER LIBRE IS PUSHING CREATIVE BOUNDARIES AND PROVOKING UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTERS. DESIGNED WITH TOTAL FREEDOM BY THE CREATION STUDIOS, EACH YEAR A NEW COLLECTION DRAWS ON AN UNPRECEDENTED SOURCE OF INSPIRATION TO UNVEIL PIECES THAT SURPRISE, PRODUCED IN LIMITED EDITIONS.

Cartier Libre questions form and design, and challenges expertise and savoir-faire in a constant pursuit of innovation. These creative explorations are part of the long-standing Cartier tradition of richly inspired collections from an insatiable and powerful curiosity. Creations of pure forms that defy limits and play with new perspectives of lines, volumes, contrasts and mobility. LIBRE Watchmaking, jewellery, accessories: all of the Maison’s realms of expression are electrified, re-explored and questioned. A creative, cultured mix, for collections free to express their style and spirit.

TUTTI TUTTI, THE LATEST ADDITION TO THE CARTIER LIBRE COLLECTION, IS BOTH BOLD AND SURPRISING.

With a single twist, the spirit of things shifts and astonishes. Beauty is viewed with the lightness of a sidestep: a ring flows freely like locks of hair and a watch creates bubbles with time, while a shower of golden marbles bursts into the air like laughter. Innovative designs, bright colours, contrasts, unexpected volumes, soft lines or material effects: the creative process is amplified in every sense to combine nature and design, aesthetics and surprise, lightness and preciousness. A new kind of tension – a joyful breath that evaporates mid-air in a burst of splendour.

I find those pieces extremely special and beautiful.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Cartier
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My Look: Jean Paul Gaultier x KNWLS

But(t) there is always another side to the story … :-).
I love the collaboration between Jean Paul Gaultier and KNWLS, the south London based brand designed by Charlotte Knowles and Alexandre Arsenault. The epic pieces fuse the disruptive femininity and fierceness of the UK-based label with the punk rebellion, grit and glamour of the famous French couture fashion house.

My look: Shearling-trimmed leather vesticon, printed mesh turtleneck topicon, and printed mesh flared pantsicon, all by Jean Paul Gaultier x KNWLS, Aevitas leather platform ankle bootsicon by Versaceelephant mini crystal-embellished suede shoulder bagicon by Loewegold aviator sunglassesicon by ChloéJUSTE UN CLOU bracelet in rose gold with diamonds, LOVE bracelet SM in white gold, LOVE bracelet SM in yellow gold with 10 diamondsLOVE bracelet in rose gold with 4 diamonds, and CLASH DE CARTIER bracelet SM in rose gold, all by Cartier, and Coco Crush bracelet in yellow gold by CHANEL Fine Jewelry.

LoL, Sandra

 

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Felicia Sewerinsson @feliciasewerinsson
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My Look: Sea Point

Greetings from South Africa! Sea Point is one of the most popular neighbourhoods in Cape Town, and it’s easy to see why. The neighbourhood offers stunning views of the ocean and the famous Lion’s Head, as well as some fantastic restaurants and pubs. Being an affluent neighbourhood, it is situated between Signal Hill and the Atlantic Ocean with the popular promenade on the edge of the shore stretching all the way into Mouille Point passed Green Point. Here you see me at Queen’s Beach, which is more secluded than those beneath the main stretch of the promenade right after I arrived in my travel outfit. Cozy, comfy, yet stylish – ready to conquer the rest of the day! Do you sea my point?!

My look: Zipped GG-appliqué jacket, GG logo print knitted top in blue, Rhyton logo-print leather sneakersicon, and cat-eye marbled-acetate sunglassesicon, all by Gucci, black wide drawstring pants, (Look 33 Pre-collection Summer 2021) and wallet on chain, both by CHANEL, «Coaching» Forever Scarf 90 by Hermès, Tank Française 25.05mm medium 18-karat gold and stainless steel watchicon by Cartier, and Coco Crush bracelet in yellow gold, all by CHANEL Fine Jewellery.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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My Look: Maybe

Maybe it is not in the perfection of life that things make sense, but in the chaos. This can also apply to an outfit. Sometimes I like to mix and match unexpected things. The chaos can create perfection. With much love from Gstaad Palace.

My look: Houndstooth long belted coat in blue and white, matching houndstooth shorts, dark blue cashmere sweater with logo (all from the Pre-Collection F/W 2019), suede boots with sleeve, patchwork classic flap shoulder bag (2012), and AirPods case in white caviar leather, all by CHANEL, Sabrina wool-felt and fishnet capicon by Eugenia Kim, silver-tone, faux pearl and crystal earringsicon by Simone Rocha, Double C diamond black lacquer white gold ring by Cartier, and Aquanaut Luce in khaki green by Patek Philippe.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / David Biedert Photography
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My Wish List

In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort. Sometimes, it feels just wonderful to be spoilt. This can be a memorable experience you’ll be able to look back on fondly, a love letter, someone taking good care of you or a precious item that you will treasure for a lifetime and hand over to the next generation. As we know today, some items are truly investment pieces.

In terms of those must-haves, I would wish for something from this list below … just putting it out in the universe as my birthday is coming up. You never know what the fairy birthday godmother might bring … if you need help, just ask for Jean-Gilles, Antinea, Faby or Martin :-)! And now it is time for celebrations.

LoL, Sandra

Panthère de Cartier ring by Cartier

LOVE bracelet, 18K rose gold with diamonds by Cartier

Matte Alligator Birkin Faubourg 20 handbag by Hermès

Birkin Disco Faubourg 20 bag by Hermès

Mini Vert Yucca Epsom Kelly 20 by Hermès

Gilbert & George Lady Dior Art Bag #8 by Dior

Day Date 36 Oyster Everose gold with diamonds and rainbow dial by Rolex

Day Date 36 Oyster in yellow gold with diamonds and turquoise dial by Rolex

Oyster Perpetual Day Date 36 Puzzle by Rolex

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands
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My Look: Saloni

Saloni Lodha’s Indian heritage and nomadic lifestyle inspire her brand – the name of which means ‘beautiful’ in Sanskrit. Since launching in 2011, its collections have become known for vibrant colors, playful prints and flattering draped dresses. However, one of her absolute bestsellers is this velvet jumpsuit. No wonder why… it is so comfortable yet stylish and chic at once.

The photos were taking inside the Drawing Room at Flemings Mayfair Hotel that echoes elegance and grace in homage to the hotel’s 18th-century origins with its beautiful exquisite hand-painted wall panels that complement the room’s heritage by famous de Gournay depicting early views of India.

My look: Camille crystal-bow velvet jumpsuit by Saloni, Jodie suede platform sandals by Saint Laurent, silver-tone crystal clip earrings by Alessandra Rich, Maillon de Cartier 16mm 18-karat white gold diamond watchicon, and Clash de Cartier bracelet MM in white gold, both by Cartier, and elephant mini crystal-embellished suede shoulder bagicon by Loewe.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Felicia Sewerinsson @feliciasewerinsson
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CARTIER Grain de Café

From a coffee bean, Cartier has created a solar collection of absolute elegance. Yellow gold creations that combine the glamour of the 1950s French Riviera with the radiant beauty of Grace Kelly. Inspiration drawn from the heart of the Maison’s stylistic vocabulary, based on two cherished elements at Cartier: flora crafted in yellow gold and the ordinary made precious.

The creations in the Grain de Café collection—rings, pendants, earrings and brooches—enhance the skin like summer heat. Arranged in clusters, the coffee beans stir with the slightest movement in a precious rustle. Their sensual curves, studded with fiery diamonds set in white gold, radiate infinite delicacy.

In a luscious interpretation, Cartier studs a ring and a bracelet with rubellite beads. Half-flower, half-fruit, these scattered berries studded with a gold nail or a diamond appear in an assortment of beans, engraved gold hemispheres and diamonds set in platinum. Even more radical, Cartier pulls out all the stops with a necklace made up of two rows of gold beads topped with coffee beans and gold-studded rubellites.

This year, the Maison is also reissuing a necklace originally dating from 1955, in homage to the creative history of Grain de Café and the world of Jeanne Toussaint.

«Grain de Café creates a new preciousness by playing with light, finishes and volumes… The result is a versatile collection with added spirit. A symbol of the creative freedom of the Maison, Grain de Café transcends a literal translation of nature and results in a multi- sensory design
Marie-Laure Cérède, Creative Director of Jewellery and Watchmaking.

Playing with the pendants, multiplying radiance and shimmer: for the jewellers, the objective was to combine mobility and sensuality. The movement of endlessly sparkling clusters. The sensuality of materials that are an invitation to touch. The jewellers have created hollow grains composed of two parts, assembled to avoid impact between them: one part is curved and the other is arched, while the surface is smooth or gadrooned. All the elements are polished one by one thanks to a steel brush that enhances the finish. 30 craftsmen participated in the creation of this collection and more than 60 prototypes were required.

The «coffee bean» motif, which first appeared at Cartier in 1938, was a huge hit in the 1950s and 1960s. Two extraordinary women contributed to its fame: Jeanne Toussaint and Grace Kelly.


Jeanne Toussaint, Creative Director from 1933, was a woman of style. Her intuition was unfailing, and she saw in this motif the wealth of a universe to be explored. Most often made of yellow gold, or sculpted from a noble material such as coral, the first coffee beans were sometimes studded with diamonds or coloured stones.

Grace Kelly, the actress turned Princess with a truly charismatic aura, could not resist this inspiration. It was for her wedding to Prince Rainier III of Monaco that she received a Grain de Café set, which she embraced with the same ease as other Cartier creations, from the most intimate to the most prestigious. She remains the most alluring expression of this creation that links Monaco, the French Riviera and the chic opulence of the 1950s.

To pay tribute to Grace Kelly, the iconic Hollywood star, Cartier turned to American director Alex Prager whose sensitivity resonates with the codes of the collection. Thanks to her work with light, she was able to bring a decisively contemporary tone to the glamorous spirit of the 1950s.

The result? A 45-second trailer in which we follow an elegant and mysterious woman through a sequence of shots. It is the same woman we find at the end of a screening in a cinema, suspended in time where past and present become one.


To play the part of this woman, the Maison called upon the American actress Elle Fanning, whose starring role in Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere earned a Critics’ Choice nomination and launched a career that continues to span genres through both independent and blockbuster productions. A Global Ambassador of the Maison, she is now the face of the Grain de Café collection.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Cartier
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Cartier Clash [Un]limited Watch

Right in time for Watches & Wonders next week, Cartier presents its newest must-have watch: Clash [Un]limited which is characterised by an elegant mechanism that stands out for its beauty, creating a jewellery watch that combines finesse with power.

Personally speaking, I am absolutely blown away by this new model. With beads, picot studs, clou carrés and mobility, the Clash de Cartier codes flow, intertwine, forge their way and manifest themselves in the form of a precious watch.

From faceted corners and bevelled dials to full and empty spaces, as well as round and square elements, its geometry is constant and true to the Maison’s style. A culture of design counterbalanced by Cartier’s graphic precision through movement, from the beads that roll over each other to the hinges of the bracelet, all articulated to create softness on the skin. An ambition to structure the watch and create perspective: from the form of its links to the mini case with its sixteen-faceted cut glass that accentuates the distinctive lines.

My favorite: SMALL MODEL, QUARTZ MOVEMENT, YELLOW AND VIOLET GOLD

The legacy of Jeanne Toussaint and her sense of volume comes to mind. As early as the 1930s, she dared to provoke glittering collisions between preciousness and the industrial aesthetic of ball bearings. A natural link between the past and present, as seen in this Clash [Un]limited watch, which also uses chromatic contrasts to emphasise the geometric motifs. How? Firstly, by alternating brushed and satin-finish gold, then by combining yellow or rose gold with violet gold, a new shade of gold in tones of shimmering violet, entirely developed for Cartier. It punctuates the watch, from the clou carré to the beads on the bracelet.

With variations on the same theme in limited-edition releases, the Clash [Un]limited watch is available in diamond-paved yellow gold, rose gold and white gold. It also unites exceptional pieces with stones that enhance the design in black and white with onyx, black spinels, obsidian and diamonds, or in different colours with coral, black spinels, chrysoprase, tsavorites and diamonds. Designed by the Cartier watchmaking studios, the Clash [Un]limited watch resides in the Maison’s creative repertoire of jewellery watches.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Cartier
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Cartier Beautés du Monde Collection

The Cartier brothers, who travelled extensively, observed, and drew inspiration from the beauty of the world, preserving it, and above all, enriching it. The Maison’s latest high jewelry collection BEAUTÉS DU MONDE continues this tradition. From the perfect arrangement of a bird’s feathers to the abstraction of a traditional Japanese motif, Cartier never ceases to marvel at all the beauty in the world and convey it through its sumptuous and spirited High Jewellery creations.

THE OCELLE NECKLACE
OF ALL BIRDS, THE PEACOCK IS POSSIBLY THE MOST FASCINATING

It was through his passion for the Islamic arts that Louis Cartier perceived the power of blue and green. For him, the discovery of this chromatic combination was so powerful that it became part of the Maison’s palette under the name of «peacock motif.» This combination quickly became a Cartier signature. The Ocelle necklace from the Beautés du Monde collection pays tribute to the bird with two opals weighing 16.59 and 6.19 carats respectively, and a 21.18-carat Zambian emerald. In addition to the colours, the necklace incorporates the form of the eyespots that characterise the peacock’s plumage. These are miniaturized, multiplied and highlighted by an onyxtrim. Partly overlapping each other and mobile, these small feathers bring great suppleness. The fluidity of the ensemble attests to the excellence of the Cartier workshops, as does the custom cuts of the opals and emerald, which are mounted on their culasse to create an invisible setting. The upper opal detaches to be worn as a brooch.

THE SPLENDENS NECKLACE
FAITHFULLY REPLICATING THE UNDULATING FINS OF A FIGHTING FISH

Was never the intent of this necklace, which introduces a new animal into the Cartier bestiary; rather, it was the desire to abstractly represent the delicate nature of their floating fins while creating a High Jewellery necklace. A creative stroke of handiwork made with a cascade of spinel beads selected for their harmony of colours and increasing size. Each bead is held within a type of invisible cap by a tiny nail whose surface plays with the light like water would over the scales of a fish. This exceedingly supple bib necklace is lined with nine oval and pear spinels totalling 27.79 carats. Remarkable for its chromatic uniformity, the ensemble is studded with square- and lozenge-shaped diamonds that electrify this fluid necklace, which seems to flow along the body’s curves.

THE CAMAIL NECKLACE
CARTIER CAN SEE BOTH LIFE AND MOVEMENT IN NATURE’S PERFECTION

A bird’s plumage thus becomes the abstract motif of a choker. Inspiration came to the artisans as they gazed in wonder upon the 42.44-carat ensemble of five Zambian emeralds, remarkable in their pear-shaped beauty. Each gem is highlighted by a curve of square diamonds trimmed with custom-cut onyx. The design thus creates a strong sensation of movement. Behind this rhythmic composition lie two feats of jewellery-making prowess: first, the necklace’s suppleness and second, the prong-less settings of the emeralds which seem to rest on top of the diamonds. In reality, each stone is precisely fitted onto a crescent-moon paved with diamonds that is integrated into the border. This creation renews and explores the chromatic harmony between white, green, and black that appeared around 1910 and has since become an emblematic combination of the Maison. The black of onyx, lacquer and enamel provides contrast, suggests volume and depth, and highlights geometric motifs. This combination heralded the Art Deco movement, of which Cartier was a pioneer.

THE OBI NECKLACE
FOR CARTIER, THE BEAUTY OF THE WORLD IS ALSO THE BEAUTY OF TRADITIONS

Drawing inspiration small calibrated rubies. Thanks to from Japanese fabrics the very delicate custom-cut onyx decorated with inserts,the angles are marked, the rising sun motif, the Obi necklace pays tribute to the culture of Japan, an inspiring land cherished by the Maison for more than a century. A rare ensemble composed of eight cabochon-cut emeralds, including a 12.53-carat specimen from Zambia, provides the starting point. The gemstones become the heart of the radiant motifs, linked together. The roundness of the cabochons contrasts with the motif ’s geometry, which is punctuated by volumes accentuated, and the entire necklace gains depth. Green, red, and black: a signature chromatic harmony for Cartier, which since the beginning of the 20th century has dared to create unprecedented combinations. The colour black represents a new modern entry into the Cartier universe, and is now emblematic of its style. In keeping with Cartier’s tradition of transformable pieces, the pendant motif detaches to be worn as a brooch.

Below you can enjoy some making of photos that show the amazing craftsmanship behind those pieces.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © CARTIER
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My Look: St. Tropez Nights

St. Tropez nights are just amazing – one of my favorite spots is the terrace of my hotel, the Byblos St. Tropez. On my way from my suite to the pool area, I always pass the Galerie Palmer. The paintings were the perfect backdrop to shoot this vibrant Fendace look.

My look: Fendace Wild Baroque cropped top with lace, and matching Fendace Wild Baroque ruched midi skirt, and black leather double platform sandals, all by Versace, V-Logo leather shoulder bagicon by Valentino, Clash de Cartier ring in 18K rose gold with amazonite by Cartier, logo earrings by CHANEL, and Oyster Perpetual 36 with turquoise dial by Rolex.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Michael HJ Lopez Photographie / Sandra Bauknecht
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