Renowned for its glamourous casinos and the natural beauty of the French Riviera, Monaco has been, and still remains, a favored playground of the rich and famous. “Cartier Monaco”, written by Alexandra Campbell and Hervé Dewintre, explores how the history of Cartier is inextricably intertwined with the royal family, celebrities and artists who lived and worked in this Mediterranean paradise. Published by Flammarion, the 208-page book, divided into 5 chapters, reveals how the beauty of this special place inspired some of Cartier’s jewels.
The importance of Cartier to Monaco is immediately established by the foreword, written by H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, noting the deep bonds between the jeweler and the Princely family. Richly illustrated with historic images, Chapter 1, “The Maison’s Beginnings in Monaco”, traces the connection between Cartier and Monaco’s ruling Grimaldi family to 1905, when the first jewelry purchase was made. In 1920, Cartier was granted a royal warrant from Sovereign Prince Albert I, which was renewed four more times in 1936, 1949, 2011 and in 2025.
Cartier was interested in Monaco in the early 20th century because it was a warm weather travel destination for wealthy Russian elites. In 1920, the jeweler sent several sales reps to Monaco to woo them, flooding the principality with ads, invitations and Cartier signage.
Cartier and the Princely Family
Chapter two, “Cartier and the Princely Family” traces the development of Monaco and how it changed from farm country to a glamorous resort. The first casino in Monaco was founded in 1863 by François Blanc, with an opera house following soon after. To bring more attention to Monaco, the royal family encouraged cultural development by inviting artists, writers, musicians and other creatives to live or spend time there.
The 1954 movie “To Catch a Thief”, starring Grace Kelly, was filmed in Monaco. While doing a promotional photo shoot at the palace, she met Prince Rainer III. They became engaged soon after when the Prince proposed with a 10.48-carat Cartier diamond engagement ring. An emerald cut with baguettes on each side, Grace Kelly loved the ring so much she never took it off. That was just the beginning of Cartier jewels for the princess, who was gifted a diamond Cartier necklace for her wedding, with many more Cartier jewels to come, which are discussed in the book.
On the Riviera
Chapter three, “On the Riviera” highlights the importance of Monaco to royals and elites of the early 20th century. Prior to World War I, many visitors to Monaco were royals or business tycoons, after World War I, it became a haven for creatives of all types. This chapter takes a look at some of the most famous visitors to Monaco and their Cartier jewels.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor were very prominent clients of Cartier and when the couple got engaged, the Duke gifted his future wife, Wallis Simpson, with a very large emerald ring from the French jeweler, one of several pieces chronicled in the book, which includes her famous flamingo brooch. The Mahrani of Baroda, nicknamed the “Indian Wallis Simpson” due to her vast jewelry collection had several Cartier pieces in her collection, but a stand out was the 128-carat Star of the South diamond, described in the book as a “light rose tawny hue”.
Interior decorator Elsie De Wolf, known for her lavish parties, was part of the Café Society crowd and an influencer of her era. In 1924, she was also one of the first to wear the three color gold bangle that would later become known as the Trinity Collection. The avant-garde artist Jean Cocteau, who lived for a time on the French Riviera, was known to wear two Trinity rings on his pinky.
The section wraps up with three more divas: Maria Callas, Marlene Dietrich and Elizabeth Taylor. The book showcases an open and close Cartier rose brooch, owned by Callas that was worn by Angelina Jolie, when she portrayed her in the 2024 movie “Maria”. The gold ball bearing bangle that belonged to Marlene Dietrich was also mentioned. Elizabeth Taylor owned several pieces of Cartier jewelry, notably the Taylor-Burton diamond, which was made into a necklace by the jeweler and worn to the Bal Des Scorpions, a fortieth birthday party for Princess Grace at the Hotel Hermitage in Monte Carlo. Burton also gifted Taylor the historic pearl, La Peregrina, which was mounted by Cartier in a necklace.
A New Setting
Recently, the Cartier Monaco store was renovated in collaboration with Cartier’s long-standing design partner, Moinard Betaille. In chapter four, “A New Setting”, the interior design process is outlined in detail. The concept was to celebrate the local and enhance the Mediterranean atmosphere. A number of highly skilled artisans were involved in creating the new space.
Charlotte Meunier, founder of Ventta Studios, hand-painted a monumental silk piece for the boutique, which features iconic symbols of Cartier and its connection to Monaco. Artist Lucie Tourre, who combines intricate paper cutting with refined textile embellishment, added embroidery with crystal and glass beads on a panel painted by Ventta Studio, beautifully illustrated in the book.
Creating bas-relief sculptures using wood, plaster, resin and gold leaf, Etienne Rayssac develops sculptural elements for Cartier boutiques, including the Monaco location. Painter Cedric Peltier, who specializes in decorative frescso paintings with a focus on the natural world, worked with Cartier to create a large-scale painting that explores the jeweler’s iconic panther as it moves through the world. According to the book, the Cartier Monaco panther is particularly noted for its naturalism.
Gazing Towards the Sea
The final chapter of Cartier Monaco, “Gazing Towards the Sea” delves into how the beauty of the Mediterranean inspired new designs for the Maison. Seashells, reflections from the water, sea creatures and branches of a coral reef all became part of the design vocabulary at Cartier. During the 1930s and 1940s colorful fish were the inspiration for brooches. Designers were encouraged to incorporate flora and fauna into their designs, leading to the palm tree as a trend setting design.
Cartier Monaco, not only showcases some of Cartier’s best jewels, but it also shows them being worn by some of the early 20th century’s most fashionable and iconic women. The book is not only a look at Cartier jewelry, but it is also the story of how Monaco came to be the famed resort that it is today and the role of the royal family in making it happen with a little help from Cartier along the way.
Top of Page: Cover, Cartier Monaco, by Alexandra Campbell and Hervé Dewintre, published by ©Flammarion.
Princess Grace of Monaco engagement ring, Cartier Paris, 1956, Collection of H.S.H. the Prince of Monaco, p.32 ©Nils Herrmann, Collections de S.A.S. le Prince de Monaco ©Cartier, from Cartier Monaco, Flammarion; Flamingo brooch, Cartier Paris, 1940; Cartier Collection, p.86 ©Nils Herrmann ©Cartier, from Cartier Monaco, Flammarion; Portrait of Princess Grace of Monaco wearing her Grain de café parure in 1956, p.62 ©Fausto Picedi, from Cartier Monaco, Flammarion; Shell necklace, Cartier Paris, 1972. Cartier Collection, p.198 ©Vincent Wulveryck ©Cartier, from Cartier Monaco, Flammarion.
Authored by Amber Michelle