This superbly engineered and articulated necklace is an
unexpected variation on the immensely popular panther or
big cat theme, explored by Cartier from the 1930s to this day. This simple, strong linear form of the collar and the
abstract stylised interpretation of the animal motif is
unusual for this period - the necklace was made in 1935 and
sold in 1936 - showing Cartier once again as design innovators,
often ahead of jewellery vogues.

Exotic animal skins, leopard, tiger and even zebra skin prints,
were fashionable around 1915-20, particularly in interior design. Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier's chief designer from 1933, (whose name was coincidentally Panther) decorated her appartment with panther carpets and she owned a Cartier onyx vanity case, made
in 1917 probably the firm's first representation of the entire
animal. As early as World War I Cartier's designers used panther skin as inspiration for abstract designs in onyx and diamonds and this flecked pattern continued to decorate jewels through the
1920s.

It was not until 1948 and the Duke of Windsor's commission that
the whole animal was figuratively portrayed in a jewel and this
necklace is in some ways a transitional interpretation of the
theme. The collar, possibly designed by Troussaint, shows the
flecked pattern executed in enamel on yellow gold, the fine
quality star rubies held in paw like mounts, an original elaboration on Charles Jacqueau's original stylisation of the
pattern. The unusual combination of these gemstones, like
exotic cat's eyes, with the enamelwork also shows Cartier leading the way in the new use of colour that was to effect jewellery design in the late 1930s and 1940s; but as this piece shows it
was a very different form of colour to the vivid Oriental exoticism of Art Deco