This year, Cartier celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Trinity ring, a timeless jewel emblematic of the maison’s enduring devotion to diversity, creativity, and love. Within this iconic piece, three sleek rings synchronize in rose, yellow, and white gold—culminating in a triptych of great beauty and significance. The rich story begins with the vision of the brothers Louis, Pierre, and Jacques Cartier, which sprouted the house’s landmark shops in Paris, London, and New York. This enchanted, multifaceted bond surges through the historic Cartier masterpiece, newly invigorated in multiple forms with the highest regard and optimism for all expressions of the human heart.
“The idea of redesigning Cartier Trinity, an icon ‘par excellence,’ seemed almost laughable, an impossible feat,” said Marie-Laure Cérède, director of watchmaking and jewelry design. “But the challenge intrigued us.”
“The idea of redesigning Cartier Trinity, an icon ‘par excellence,’ seemed almost laughable, an impossible feat,”
Marie-Laure Cérède
Vogue US, January 1925, Pages 50-51. Kendall Lee photographed by Edward Steichen for
Vogue US, January 1925. She is wearing a Trinity ring and two Trinity bracelets along with
a pair of onyx and diamond earrings and a rock crystal and diamond brooch with a Persian
design, Edward Steichen, Vogue © Conde Nast.
Archives photograph of a seven band bracelet, Cartier Paris, 1967, executed in gold of
colors, Archives Cartier Paris © Cartier.
Perpetual Innovation and Preservation
The perpetual ingenuity and innovation of Cartier has never been so purely realized as in the latest Trinity designs. Devoted and new clients alike will bask in the possibilities of slender or broader bands, with up to ten rings parading in unison. Stylish editions such as faceted, fluted, and gadrooned iterations evoke luminous inspiration, alongside the much-anticipated reissuing of the cult classic XL bracelet with a new XL ring.
“The new design called for a bespoke approach,” added Cérède. “Instead of starting from a hand-drawn sketch, we worked the volume by hand—kneading the material, rolling it, compressing it to isolate a creative direction.”
“The new design called for a bespoke approach,”
Marie-Laure Cérède
Preserving the majesty of rose, yellow, and white gold was of the utmost importance to Cartier, paying distinct homage to the dazzling rings adored by the French poet Jean Cocteau and the American actor Gary Cooper in the 1930s. As the shapes of all things organically shift and change over time, so have the Trinity bands. New geometries are introduced, with an instinctive cushion-shape making way for an all-gold collection, as well as a shimmering ring, pendant, and bracelet paved with fine diamonds. A modular variant may be stacked to the heart’s content, and the mesmerizing, interlocking features will surely please the most cerebral—or whimsical—clientele.
“The modular Trinity takes a counterintuitive design approach: construction then deconstruction,” explained Cérède. “Like a Kumiki puzzle, we envisioned the Trinity bands interlocked as one structure, and then designed in reverse to deconstruct them into three. This naturally creates multiple ways to wear the same ring, which makes this Trinity so contemporary and adds to its universality. Wear the ring fused together for a discreet day look, then unravel the bands to reveal the diamonds at night.”
“The modular Trinity takes a counterintuitive design approach: construction then deconstruction,”
Marie-Laure Cérède
The Cartier Trinity collection,
courtesy of Cartier.
The History of Trinity is Reinvigorated for Today
In honor of this dynamic, 100th year, the Trinity bracelet makes its presence known to all. First offered in 1924, and donned by the astute decorator Elsie de Wolfe, as well as by the chic actress Kendall Lee for Vogue magazine, the cascading bands freshly echo the lyrical style of the ring. Three limitless paths glide around the wrist, energized in XL volume, which pairs perfectly with the complementing ring.
Cartier aficionados will recall global luminaries like Romy Schneider, Grace Kelly, and Alain Delon sporting the elegant three-band ring in the 1950s and ’60s, showing their ardent affection for the masterful craftsmanship and panache so true to the maison. The early seventies saw the spark of the “Les Must de Cartier” collection, with the three ringed melody grazing a bevy of decorative objects and personal accessories—offering the tender design to permeate and uplift all facets of day-to-day life. Today, Cartier reinvigorates Trinity as a must-have talisman of inner and outer radiance to dance along the body, the mind, and the soul.
The Cartier Trinity collection,
courtesy of Cartier.
