AN EARLY 20TH CENTURY DIAMOND BROOCH, BY CARTIER
AN EARLY 20TH CENTURY DIAMOND BROOCH, BY CARTIER

Details
AN EARLY 20TH CENTURY DIAMOND BROOCH, BY CARTIER
Modelled as an aeroplane, entirely pavé-set with circular and baguette-cut diamonds, circa 1920, 3.3cm wide, maker's case
Signed Cartier London and indistinctly no.6681

Brought to you by

Filippo Battino
Filippo Battino

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Lot Essay

At the turn of the 20th Century women across the globe were beginning to develop a fascination with flying to rival that of their male counterparts. In 1911 Hilde Hewlett, the first Englishwoman to earn her flying license, is recorded as saying "I shan't be happy till I can fly". Such was the fervour of this shared passion that women were competing against and beating men in endurance contests; in 1913 Helene Dutrieu, the first Belgian female pilot, won the coveted Italian King's Cup against fourteen male competitors, for which she was awarded France's Legion d'Honour in recognition of this incredible feat. In America Ruth Law had set two new records by the end of 1916, including the American non-stop cross-country record for both men and women.

By the 1920s women were completing harrowing intercontinental solo flights and setting records never previously attempted, the public interest in these extraordinary female pilots was immense, their appetite for news of some of the most famous female aviators such as Amelia Earhart and Amy Johnson seemingly insatiable.

It is not suprising therefore, to see that an intuative firm such as Cartier began creating suitabley beautiful aeroplane inspired jewels for its patrons. In doing so Cartier joined the popular celebration of these thrilling, beautiful and pioneering aviatrix whilst also answering a demand from their, perhaps slightly less adventurous clients who yet still wished to share in this new and now most feminine of passions; flying.

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