Matt Clymo 
For Watches & Wonders 2025, Cartier brings some spectacular craftsmanship to the Panthère Jewellery Watch with two amazing pieces.
It’s the symbol of Cartier, the Panthère, and has been since the early days of Cartier. It was said that Louis Cartier was inspired by Jeanne Toussaint, who would become Cartier’s creative director in the 1930s, and was nicknamed “The Panther” or “La Panthère”. Since then, Panthère has been the symbol of the Maison, and throughout the decades has evolved along with Cartier and permeated many if not most of Cartier’s product lines – from watches to jewellery to perfume and accessories. Due to its design and Cartier’s ability to craft exceptional pieces via their Metier D’Arts department in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Panthère has become very sought-after through its various iterations and forms. For Watches & Wonders 2025, Cartier has brought to life Panthère in the form of a Jewellery watch, well, two in fact!
Joining the Panthère collection this year are two stunning pieces that showcase various elements of Cartier and Panthère via its “Toi & Moi” bracelet, or translated, “You and Me”. As Cartier states, it is two faces of a singular watch. One side tells you the time, and the other is the pouncing Panthère looking into it. And to show off their skills and artistry, Cartier has created one in 18k yellow gold, and another in 18k white gold with over 1100 diamonds covering the surface.
The first of the two is the Toi & Moi bracelet crafted from 18k yellow gold that transitions from the watch to the Panthère seamlessly. To create the Panther, Cartier has used black lacquer for the spots to contrast the yellow gold. For the Panther’s eyes, Cartier has used tsavorite, which allows the eyes to play on the contrast from the black lacquer dial on the watch face. Around the dial is a diamond-paved bezel using 22 brilliant cut diamonds and tying all this together is a single brilliant cut diamond at 12 o’clock for the hour marker.
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The second of the duo is the 18k white gold Panthère Jewellery Watch which has a total of 1103 diamonds set all over the bracelet, Panther and dial. This is a painstaking process that takes over 230 hours of crating, and one I have seen first-hand (not all 230 hours of course) at Cartier’s Maison des Metiers D’Art in La Chaux-de-Fonds. To add to this, Cartier has chosen the Fur Setting of the diamonds and onyx which adds an element of realism to the Panther. This signature area of expertise for the Maison consists of folding the metal around the onyx to create tiny threads resembling hair, and the result looks spectacular in person.
If we look at the watch from the dial down, Cartier has given the piece a full paved-diamond bezel and dial, and on the bracelet, snow-set diamonds create an effect that both compliments and contrasts the fur-setting on the Panther. To bring Panthère to life, the eyes are made from two gleaming emeralds and the nose and spots are crafted from onyx to finish the look.
Initial Thoughts
I’ll be the first to admit that Jewellery watches are not my thing – I don’t think I can pull them off, and I never really appreciated them fully until I delved into the world of Cartier over the past few years. After having visited the Cartier Manufacture and seeing how the Maison creates its iconic watches, with almost unfettered access I might add, and then visiting the Maison des Metiers D’Art to see how Cartier is bringing back old-world craftsmanship and skills, I can say with 100% hand on heart, I now fully understand and appreciate pieces like the Panthère Jewellery Watch as I’ve seen how it’s created.
There is a reason that people who love Cartier, well, love Cartier. Actually, there are probably several reasons. One is that Cartier has such a rich history and many stories to tell, another is the number of iconic pieces they have created over the years. Panthère is most definitely one of these, so much so it is the symbol of the Maison, and pieces like the Panthère Jewellery Watch showcase the best of Cartier’s artistic skill. While I can’t get away with one, I know plenty of people who can, and judging on the success of Cartier’s Reflection Watch from last year, these will be in high demand.
References: CRHPI01712 (White Gold) / CRHPI01706 (Yellow Gold)
Specifications
- Sizing: Available in 150/160/170 mm.
- Case Material: 18k yellow gold with tsavorite eyes and black lacquer spots / 18k White gold set with 1103 fur and snow-set diamonds, emerald eyes and onyx spots.
- Dial: Yellow Gold – lacquer dial with 22 brilliant cut diamonds on the bezel and 1 diamond at 12 o’clock. White Gold – Diamond Pave dial with diamond set bezel
- Movement: Cartier Quartz Movement
- Power Reserve: N/A
- Water Resistance: 30m (3 Bar)
Australian Recommended Retail Price: POA
Availability: Available through Cartier Boutiques. For more information, head to Cartier.com.au
