Cartier exhibition opens at V&A museum
- maxwell museums
- Dec 18, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 17
A huge and absolutely bling-filled exhibition on the history of the luxury jewellers Cartier has opened at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Through over 350 objects, the Cartier exhibition charts the evolution of the jewellery house's legacy, and shows how it went from modest beginnings in Paris in 1847, to a global super-brand.
Visitors will see precious jewels, historic gemstones, and iconic watches and clocks. These include works lent by His Majesty The King from the Royal Collection, and special items from the Cartier archives.
As this is a V&A blockbuster, there's also plenty of loans from major UK and international museums, plus special private collections. It's the first major museum survey dedicated to Cartier in three decades.
And the reviews on opening have been overwhelmingly positive. Critics seem to love it!
What's on display in the Cartier exhibition?
While the show highlights the art, design and craftsmanship of Cartier pieces, the story of the jeweller also includes the establishment of its enormous global brand, and built up over decades. They successfully crafted a status for making the most desirable jewellery pieces in the world, and they projected the idea that wearing a Cartier piece was a symbol of success.
The house did this in part through their famous fans. That's why well-known wearers such HM Queen Elizabeth II and pop-superstar Rhianna are also part of the exhibition's narrative.
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Some of the most eye-catching items going on show include Grace Kelly’s engagement ring from 1956, a rose clip brooch from 1938 that was worn by Princess Margaret at her sister’s coronation, and the spectacular and opulent Manchester Tiara.
The tiara — from the V&A collection — was made in 1903 for the Dowager Duchess of Manchester and it features over a thousand brilliant-cut diamonds and more than 400 rose-cut diamonds.
Cartier was founded in 1847 when Louis-François Cartier, a 28-year-old apprentice jeweller, took over his master’s modest workshop in Paris. Located on Rue Montorgueil, the business catered to a small but growing bourgeois clientele in the bustling French capital. It quickly gained a reputation for fine craftsmanship.
Louis-François Cartier may have founded the business, but it was his ambitious grandsons —Louis, Pierre, and Jacques — who transformed Cartier into a global powerhouse. Each brother took on a strategic role in expanding the brand’s reach and reputation around the turn of the last century.
"This exhibition will explore how Louis, Pierre and Jacques Cartier, together with their father Alfred, adopted a strategy of original design, exceptional craftsmanship and international expansion that transformed the Parisian family jeweller into a household name" the Cartier exhibition curators said when announcing the exhibition.
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Helen Molesworth and Rachel Garrahan added that they were "excited to be able to share with visitors some of Cartier’s most famous creations as well as revealing previously unseen objects and archive material that further enriches our understanding of a jewellery house that continues to influence the way we adorn ourselves today.”
The exhibition's design — the physical structures that display all the items — has been created by leading British architect and artist Asif Khan MBE.
Khan says he's crafted a "dreamscape where art and science converge" that will see "Cartier’s pieces suspended in light, time and sound." It's Khan's latest London project following his work renewing the London Museum and the Barbican Centre.
How much are the V&A's Cartier exhibition tickets?
Tickets for the Cartier exhibition are on sale right now. Be warned though, they're not cheap.
An adult ticket is priced at £24 on weekdays. If you want to include a donation, it rises to £27. On weekends however, an adult ticket will cost you £26 — or £29 with a donation. There are concessions available, including for those under-26, students and holders of an Art Fund National Art Pass. V&A Members get in free as always.
Advance booking is extremely recommended. At time of writing, the first seven weeks of the run are entirely sold out.
How long is the Cartier exhibition on at the V&A?
The exhibition runs at the V&A Museum until 16 November 2025. Which means it's on for seven months in total.
This show will definitely be popular, but so will the other 2025 exhibitions at the V&A. They include a fascinating-sounding survey of the style of Queen Marie Antoinette.
Cartier runs at V&A South Kensington in London from 12 April 2025 until 16 November 2025
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Is there a Cartier exhibition book?
Yes, a brand new Cartier book has also been released to accompany the exhibition, featuring high-quality imagery of all the standout objects on show. Purchase your copy here.
