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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Hundreds of 'Extraordinary' Cartier Jewellery Pieces on Display at NGV

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne is hosting an exhibition featuring nearly 400 pieces of Cartier jewelry.
  • The collection includes items owned by celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, and Rihanna, as well as pieces with a local connection to Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba.
  • The exhibition, a collaboration with London's Victoria and Albert Museum, showcases exceptional craftsmanship and the history of the renowned jewelry house.

Melbourne's National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) is currently displaying an extraordinary collection of nearly 400 Cartier jewelry pieces, including more than 30 tiaras, necklaces, and bracelets adorned with diamonds. The exhibition, a significant collaboration with London's Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), offers a rare glimpse into the opulent world of one of the most celebrated jewelry houses.

There are some rubies that are the best in the world in this room, emeralds and sapphires in the hundreds of carats, all exceptional quality.

— Helen MolesworthHelen Molesworth, V&A senior curator of jewellery, describes the quality of the gemstones featured in the exhibition.

The collection boasts pieces with a star-studded provenance, having been owned and worn by iconic figures such as Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Andy Warhol, Princess Margaret, and Rihanna. Adding a local dimension, the exhibition also features several items belonging to the renowned Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba, highlighting her connection to Cartier during the early 20th century as the brand gained international recognition.

The value of items on display is 'priceless'.

— NGVThe National Gallery of Victoria states the estimated value of the exhibited Cartier pieces.

According to NGV director Tony Ellwood, the value of the displayed items is "priceless," emphasizing the exceptional quality and ambition behind both the designs and the wearers. V&A senior curator of jewelry Helen Molesworth noted the presence of "rubies that are the best in the world," along with emeralds and sapphires of exceptional carat weight and quality. Almost 300 of the exhibited items have never been shown in Australia before.

It's really other-worldly to look at the quality and just the ambition of the designers and the wearers.

— Tony EllwoodTony Ellwood, NGV director, expresses his awe at the craftsmanship and history of the jewelry.

Miranda Wallace, NGV senior curator of international exhibitions, elaborated on the local connection, describing how jewels worn by Dame Nellie Melba, including a turquoise and diamond necklace and suspended pearls, would have illuminated her on stage during a 1902 performance in Melbourne. The exhibition prompts a discussion about whether such exquisite commercial items belong in an art gallery, a question Molesworth addresses by asserting Cartier's status as one of the world's most artistic jewelry houses.

We're talking about the finest craftsmanship in the world, alongside some of the most famous people in the world.

— Tony EllwoodTony Ellwood, NGV director, highlights the combination of high craftsmanship and celebrity ownership in the exhibition.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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