Cartier at the V&A: A Gobstopper Symphony of Sparkle

Inside the V&A’s dazzling Cartier exhibition, where tiaras reign, history glitters, and restraint is left at the door.

Marilyn was never wrong when she said diamonds are a girl's best friend. But what she failed to mention—perhaps in an act of humble restraint—is that some girls' best friends come set in platinum, dripping in Burmese rubies, and wear names like The Manchester Tiara. Step into the V&A's glittering homage to the maison of Cartier: a grand spectacle, a pilgrimage, a chance to stand in awe in front of 350 objects that embody a level of luxury beyond imagination.

This is not a show for the understated. Nor the bitter. You walk into the first room and bam!—there it is—the Manchester Tiara, 1903, resplendent and smug in a glass case like it knows it's the Beyoncé of headwear. Commissioned for the Dowager Duchess of Manchester, it's an opening statement so grand it makes you momentarily forget the shame of ever having worn Zara earrings. The tiara, a symbol of wealth and status, is a testament to Cartier's craftsmanship and the allure of its creations.

Curated with reverence and the right amount of 'let them eat cake' audacity, Cartier: Design, Vision, Craft is more than just a sparkly catwalk of elite ornamentation. It's a chronicle of aspiration and empire dressed in emeralds, a journey through the Maison's evolution from a Parisian family firm to the crown jeweller of the British monarchy—and the red-carpet staple of Hollywood starlets. This historical context, unfolding across fashion, power, and some seriously well-lit vitrines, will leave you enlightened.

King Edward VII famously called Cartier "the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers." He also promptly issued them a royal warrant in 1904, just two years after Cartier opened shop in London. Proof, if ever was needed, that timing is everything, and diamonds always help.

There are enough gobstopper gems on show to make your molars ache. Jade beads the size of ping pong balls once caressed the neck of Barbara Hutton. A seven-tiered necklace of yellow and white diamonds—originally commissioned in 1928 by the Maharaja of Patiala—makes a cameo, its more decadent stones tragically lost to time, with replacement gems standing in as understudies, albeit with a chip on their shoulder. The impeccable craftsmanship of these pieces will leave you in awe and appreciation.

One moment you're admiring Colombian emeralds, the next you're being emotionally mugged by Sri Lankan sapphires. The stones themselves are show-stealers—but there's always the inconvenient glint of history in the background. Colonialism gets the polite footnote treatment: a passing nod, a paragraph, a responsible jewellery council plaque on the wall. And then it's back to the sparkle.

There's a whole room—yes, an actual room—of tiaras. Eighteen. Lined up like debutantes, each one humming a silent chorus of inherited wealth. Some look delicate enough to snap under the weight of one's existential crisis. Others have the architectural heft of miniature cathedrals. They are peak jewellery. The final boss. And they are utterly, unreasonably magnificent.

Between the crownwork and creature couture, there's a jungle dreamscape dedicated to Cartier's panther motif—introduced in 1924 and now synonymous with the brand's blend of feline ferocity and chic aloofness. Designed by artist Asif Khan MBE, the jungle display is one part fantasy, one part fever dream. It's a lush, immersive experience that transports you to the wild world of Cartier's iconic panther pieces. If you don't linger here in poetic silence, I don't want to know you.

The exhibition also dips a well-manicured toe into Cartier's flirtation with Orientalism. Egypt, India, Japan, and China all appear more as aesthetic muses than cultural equals. At times, you're struck less by the craftsmanship (which is faultless) and more by the unrelenting confidence with which Cartier interpreted entire civilisations as moodboards. This aspect of the exhibition invites a critical discussion about cultural appropriation and the role of luxury brands in perpetuating stereotypes.

And yet—despite the socio-political blind spots, despite the undercurrent of colonial glitter—the thing that makes this exhibition genuinely unmissable is its unapologetic celebration of excess. These pieces were never made for quiet lives. They were forged for coronations and crushes. For nights that ended with scandal. For women who insisted on their names being remembered.

The V&A's Cartier runs until 16 November 2025. Go once to marvel. Go twice to cry. Go a third time because it might be the closest you'll ever get to wearing a tiara without marrying into a tax scandal.

Rating: 5/5 Crushed Diamonds

Because sometimes, dear reader, you want to bask in the shimmer.