At the beginning of the 20th century, Cartier developed platinum to enhance its exceptional diamonds, a revolution that would have lasting consequences on the jewelry industry.<\/p>\n
By Sandrine Merle.<\/p>\n
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It is often said that Cartier invented platinum. More precisely, it was Louis Cartier who introduced and developed it in jewelry out of a love for gemstones. In 1900, this young man, passionate about science and technology, was aware of all the innovations of his time. He discovered this metal that could enhance diamonds. As a conscientious jeweler, he wanted to improve the settings that were still made of silver, a metal with two major disadvantages: it tarnished upon contact with the skin (which is why it is often plated with yellow gold), and it was soft, and thus easily deformable. To avoid the risk of losing diamonds, the jeweler had to compensate with very thick settings that often covered them partially. As a result, light couldn’t pass through them and make them sparkle.<\/p>\n
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From industry to jewelry<\/strong><\/p>\n In Ecuador, artisans crafted the first platinum jewelry as early as the 1st century AD. In Europe, this metal was only discovered in the second half of the 18th century, and it was difficult to work with because it was very hard. In 1900, platinum played a primarily industrial role. “It was only after studying the springs and frames of sleeping cars that we managed to adapt the metal to our needs,” Louis Cartier recounts (in The Cartiers<\/em> by Francesca Cartier Brickell). He even went so far as to buy platinum directly from the Urals in Russia, the only country extracting it, to achieve his goal: holding diamonds in place with just a few wires. They seemed to float in the air, placed directly on the skin, or sewn onto the fabric of a dress. Dazzling and solitary, they formed delicate interlacing patterns, knots, flowers, and leaves inspired by motifs from the 18th century. It was totally unprecedented at the time.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n