Strauss & co - 22 November 2010, Cape Town

55 CARTIER Cartier was founded in Paris in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier. It was his three grandsons, Louis, Pierre andJacques, who were responsible for establishing the famous world-wide empire. Louis retained responsibility for the Paris branch, moving it to the rue de la Paix in 1899. Jacques took charge of the London operation and eventually moved to the current location in New Bond Street. Pierre established the New York branch in I909, moving in 1917 to the current location at 653 Fifth Avenue. Prominent amongst Cartier’s gifted team, were Charles Jacqueau who joined Louis Cartier in 1909 for a lifetime and Jeanne Toussaint who was appointed Director of Fine Jewellery from 1933. In the 1960s Cartier New York and Cartier Paris passed into outside hands. In 1972, a group of investors led by Joseph Kanoui bought Cartier Paris whose President became Robert Hocq, originator of the concept“Les Must de Cartier” in collaboration with Alain Dominique Perrin. In 1974, Cartier London was bought back and Cartier New York in 1976. In 1983. the“Art of Cartier Collection”was initiated by the late Eric Nussbaum. Today, Cartier is part of the Richemont group. GIULIANO Carlo Giuliano (1831-1895) moved to London from Italy where he and his sons Carlo and Arthur Giuliano established a successful jewellery business in 1860. Carlo Giuliano was a close associate of F.P. Castellani and his early hallmark, a monogram of initials C.G. together with some of his early work in the archeological style, can be confused with that of Castellani. The Giuliano family are most famous for their enamelled jewellery in the Renaissance tradition with a characteristic use of cabochon stone. Their business closed in 1914. VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Founded in 1906 by Alfred Van Cleef and his brothers-in-law Charles and Julien Arpels on the Place Vendôme in Paris, Van Cleef & Arpels is one of the world’s most exquisite jewellers. The immediate success of the House prompted the founders to expand to important seaside resorts in France and well as abroad. New York City became the first location in the United States for Van Cleef & Arpels in 1939 and the House has since opened boutiques in five more U.S. cities. Van Cleef & Arpels is renowned for its innovative designs and techniques such as the Mysterious Setting, in which the prongs are hidden underneath a gemstone. The designs include only the highest quality and pieces are often interchangeable – brooches can become pendants or hair clips, earrings have detachable drops and bracelets can be linked together to create necklaces. Van Cleef & Arpels is currently part of the Richemont Group. HARRY WINSTON At the age of 24, HarryWinston opened his first business in New York City, known as the Premier Diamond Company. Twelve years later, he established another company under his own name and began to manufacture jewellery. Winston was responsible for the cutting of such famous diamonds as the Jonker, the Taylor- Burton, the Star of Sierra Leone, and the Vargas. He donated three important diamonds to the Smithsonian: The Hope, the Portugese and the Oppenheimer. By the 1950s, Winston was acknowledged as the“King of Diamonds”, owning at one time or another as many as one-third of all the famous diamonds in the world. In 1962 the company moved from 7 East Fifty-first Street to its present location at 718 Fifth Avenue. With his death in 1978, Winston was succeeded by his son, Ronald, now the chairman of the company, who continues his father’s tradition of offering“Rare Jewels of the World”, the firm’s motto for many years. In an effort to address an ever expanding market for their jewellery, the firm opened a salon in Tokyo in 1989 - one on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills the following year. They also created a watch department“The Ultimate Timepiece” . © Strauss & Co (Pty) Ltd 2010 Research and Catalogue Notes Joanna Hardy, Emma Bedford and Lynn Greaves Photography courtesy of Les Hammond Design and layout Faye Frizlar