V&A to open Cartier exhibition featuring pieces worn by late Queen and Rihanna
The late Elizabeth II’s Williamson diamond brooch featuring a circular pink diamond of 23.6 carats will go on display.
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is to open an exhibition dedicated to Cartier featuring items worn by Queen Elizabeth II and pop singer Rihanna.
Among the items included in the display, opening in April 2025, are precious jewels, historic gemstones, drawings from the V&A and Cartier Collection, pieces from museums and private collections, and works lent by the King from the Royal Collection.
Highlights include Queen Elizabeth II’s Williamson diamond brooch featuring a circular pink diamond of 23.6 carats, as well as the Scroll Tiara, commissioned in 1902 and worn by Clementine Churchill, wife of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, to the coronation of Elizabeth II, and by Rihanna on the cover of W magazine in 2016.
Another feature is Grace Kelly’s engagement ring that she wore in her final film, High Society (1956).
Cartier was established in 1847 and became known as “the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers”.
Featuring more than 350 objects, the new display will chart the evolution of the house’s legacy of art, design, and craftsmanship since the turn of the 20th century.
Exhibition curators Helen Molesworth and Rachel Garrahan said: “Cartier is one of the most famous jewellery houses in the world.
“This exhibition will explore how Louis, Pierre and Jacques Cartier, together with their father Alfred, adopted a strategy of original design, exceptional craftmanship and international expansion that transformed the Parisian family jeweller into a household name.
“With its world-class jewellery collection, the V&A is the perfect stage to celebrate the pioneering achievements of Cartier and its transformative ability to remain at the centre of culture and creativity for more than a century.
“We are excited to be able to share with visitors some of Cartier’s most famous creations as well as revealing previously unseen objects and archive material that further enriches our understanding of a jewellery house that continues to influence the way we adorn ourselves today.”
From 2025 the V&A will also play host to exhibitions about French queen Marie Antoinette and design and disability.
Cartier will be staged at the Sainsbury Gallery at V&A South Kensington from April 12 2025 to November 16 2025.
The Cartier Collection is currently on view in Cartier, The Power of Magic at Shanghai Museum East until February 17 2025.
A limited number of tickets will be released on Tuesday.
