Cartier Mahango Panthère Diamond Necklace

Set with over thirty-six carats of diamonds in 18K gold, this Cartier "Mahango Walking Panthère" collar necklace dates from the early 1990s. The articulated collar centers five stalking low relief panthers pavé-set with round brilliant-cut diamonds against a polished gold ground, completed by a necklace of arched panthère diamond links. A bold, graphic evolution of the maison's signature style, this flattering, tour-de-force diamond necklace integrates a frieze of stylized Cartier panthers into the softly flexible geometry of the firm's iconic diamond brickwork links.

Country: France
Circa: 1990
Dimensions: 17.00" length, 0.625" width.
Materials: 838 round brilliant-cut diamonds (approximate total weight 36.50 carats, VS clarity and F/G color); 18K Gold
Gram Weight: 147.12
Signed: Cartier, 620280, maker's mark and French assay mark
Literature: Understanding Jewelry by David Bennett & Daniela Mascetti p. 453

The panther has been a visual hallmark Cartier since the early 20th century, when, under the three Cartier brothers, the maison became a global power in modern jewelry design. A creative force for the firm since the 1910s, and named director in the 1930s, Jeanne Toussaint was both the inspiration and the prime mover for the big cat's adoption as a leitmotif of the firm's artistic vernacular in many of its most celebrated and widely known jewels. In the late 20th century, Cartier revisited the panther and its habitat for a variety of collections. The Mahango conservation area in Namibia preserves and protects the magnificent leopard (genus Panthera) populations that rule the park.