For Marie-Laure CerDe, the creative director of watches and jewelry at Cartier, it was a significant challenge to modify a design as distinctive as the Cartier Trinity. Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the seemingly straightforward design: three interlocked bands of white, rose and yellow gold, which have been worn by everyone from Jean Cocteau to Grace Kelly.
As CerEde noted during festivities in Paris, it is "difficult to reinvent an icon, something that is already flawless".
When we considered redesigning Trinity, we understood that it would not be straightforward. It's an iconic design because it's flawless and unique in its identity, so we began to wonder about the core elements that make Trinity so special: the three connected rings. However, what are the other essential characteristics of this ring, beyond its meaning? Everybody plays with it, much like a stress ball, so we aimed to maintain that feature and also convey something new while still being authentic.
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The new maison's Trinity collection introduces innovative shapes, such as a square cushion-shaped ring, yet the blend of mixed metals continues to be a defining characteristic.
Some jewelers similar to Cartier experiment with mixed metals. For instance, Los Angeles-based Spinelli Kilcollin has made mixing metals its hallmark with linked rings in numerous combinations of silver, various shades of gold, and precious stones, worn by celebrities such as Meryl Streep and Emily Ratajkowski.
A trend is noteworthy - it's also resonating in the watch industry. According to reports from the Swiss Watch Industry Federation, there's been a dip in Swiss exports of stainless steel watches (down 15 percent in the first half of 2024) and a surge in bi-metal watches - those in yellow or rose gold with a steel band, typically with gold links - and precious metal watches.
The trend highlights a shift in focus from quantity to quality, and perhaps also an evolution of people's preferences. After all, the era when two-tone watches were in style has made a triumphant comeback in both watchmaking and the fashion industry.
This year, Hermès launched its sporty-chic 36mm Cut watch, designed for women with an unmistakable Hermès style, and it included both gold and stainless steel references. Another indication of the glamorous resurgence of the 1980s was Bulgari's revival of its iconic 1980s-inspired Bvlgari Bvlgari watch. The Roman jeweller's collaboration with K-pop sensation Lisa from Blackpink featured a rose gold and stainless steel version.
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When it comes to jewelry, Australian jeweler Cushla Whiting says her clients are more interested in combining metals, whether in individual pieces of jewelry or by layering jewelry together.
"We have numerous requests for mixed metals, particularly with our diamond-set jewelry. The most popular request is the combination of yellow and rose gold, with platinum settings for the diamonds. People prefer this combination because platinum settings keep colorless diamonds looking vibrant and white, whereas yellow gold can affect the color grade, reducing it by one or two grades. Additionally, platinum is a more resilient metal that wears down less quickly than gold," she says.
Whiting emphasizes that combining metals provides wearers with a greater variety of choices and opportunities to convey their individuality and personal style.
"I believe combining metals enables individuals to be more versatile when it comes to their jewelry. This means they don't have to be confined to wearing just one color or the other," she says.
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