Silently stalking its way through Cartier iconography for a century, the panther is the proud leader of the pack of precious animals that make up the famous Cartier menagerie. No other creature or jewel is quite so indissolubly and emotively connected to outstanding 20th-century women of style, to ideals of modern femininity, and has become Cartier’s most iconic motif for a century. A symbol of power, seduction, and triumph since ancient times, the image of the panther never fails to arouse fantasies and dreams.

Featuring texts by art historian Bérénice Geoffroy-Schneiter, jewelry historian Vivienne Becker, jewelry expert Joanna Hardy, and fashion editor André Leon Talley, Cartier Panthèrechronicles the panther in art history, the evolution of Cartier panther jewels, the techniques involved in creating a Cartier panther jewel, the influence of the panther in fashion, design, and popular culture, and includes a chronology of 100 years of Cartier panther jewels.