Cartier's tiger and panther jewellery of the 1940s and 50s was the result of a collaboration between Jeanne Toussaint (1887-1978), head of haute joaillerie from 1933, and designer Peter Lemarchand (1906-70). Unlike Charles Jacqueau, the mastermind draughtsman of Cartier's Art Deco period, Lemarchand drew members of the animal kingdom in a realistic sculptural fashion, virtually free of stylisation. Throughout the 1940s, under Toussaint's guidance, he drafted such famous jewels as the Duchess of Windsor's gold panther reclining on a 116.74 carat cabochon emerald, produced as a gift from the Duke in 1948.

The tiger jewellery, set with canary diamonds and onyx, followed the panthers. Models were initially produced for the American heiress, Barbara Hutton. She began with earrings, and subsequently ordered a brooch, a bracelet and a handbag.