18 Karat Gold, Colored Diamond, Diamond, Onyx and Emerald Bangle-Bracelet, Cartier

Of hinged design terminating in opposing tigers pavé-set with numerous round diamonds of yellow hue weighing approximately 15.00 carats, accented by round near colorless diamonds weighing approximately .45 carat, highlighted throughout with onyx stripes, completed by four pear-shaped emerald eyes, internal circumference 6 inches, signed Cartier, numbered 607986, with partial workshop and maker's marks.

In good condition. The colored diamonds range from approximately Fancy Light to Fancy Intense Yellow in color, with several displaying slight brownish or orangy secondary hues, VVS-VS clarity. They are approximately VS clarity. The near colorless diamonds are approximately F-G color, VVS-VS clarity. The onyx segments are intact overall, with one "stripe" showing a chipped onyx segment under magnification. The emerald eyes are a vibrant medium-deep green and lightyl included to eye-clean. The tigers' heads twist and the bracelet opens by twisting the tigers' upper bodies away from each other. The bracelet bears a nice heft and is well-made.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion. Illustrations in the catalogue may not be actual size. Prospective purchasers are reminded that, unless the catalogue description specifically states that a stone is natural, we have assumed that some form of treatment may have been used and that such treatment may not be permanent. Our presale estimates reflect this assumption.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

In the menagerie of bejeweled animals created by Cartier, it is the felines that leapt into fashion history accessorizing the world’s best-dressed women.  From Daisy Fellowes and Princess Nina Aga Khan to Barbara Hutton, Cartier’s ‘big cat’ jewels were much admired by the social elite once the trend-setting Duchess of Windsor was seen sporting their sleek, distinctive silhouettes in the late 1940s and 1950s. 

 Conceived by Jeanne Toussaint, the enlightened director of Haute Joaillerie for Cartier during their most innovative years, the cat jewels were inspired by Toussaint’s passion for animals and her particular love of felines.  Affectionately nicknamed ‘la Panthère’ by Louis Cartier, the jewels resulted from her collaboration with Cartier designer Peter Lemarchand.  Together they frequented the Vincennes Zoo in Paris where they studied the cats in residence and captured their feminine, powerful charm in life-like jewels. 

 The influence of Jeanne Toussaint’s early naturalistic designs has been ever-present in Cartier’s jewels for more than seventy years, as the cats remain one of the jeweler’s most popular motifs around the world.