Rating and value of Cartier jewelry - Trinity collection

If you own a piece of Cartier jewelry, and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will offer you their appraisal services.

Our specialists will work to carry out a free appraisal of your jewelry, and provide you with an accurate estimate of its value on the current market.

Then, if you wish to sell your piece, we will direct you to the best possible device to obtain the optimum price.

Rating and value of Cartier jewelry

Cartier jewelry is a popular item at auction. They are collected by bidders of all nationalities. Now, prices for these objects can rise considerably under the auctioneer's hammer.

The Love and Trinity collections are particularly prized, by buyers from all over the world. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €130 to €1,118,000, at the moment, a consequent gap but one that says a lot about the value that can be attributed to these objects.

In 2018, a pair of Trinity hoop earrings with three hoops, each in a different gold, and paved with brilliant-cut diamonds, was sold for €20,160 while it was estimated at between €15,500 and €16,000.

Order of value ranging from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of the Trinity  

The Trinity collection is characterized in its formal orientation by three intertwined, movable rings in yellow, white and rose gold. The interpenetration of the metals creates an effect of permanent visual movement.

The chromatic association is symbolic, and traditionally interpreted as representing love, friendship and fidelity. The purism of the jewelry is formal, with an absence of superfluous ornamentation, smooth surfaces and clean lines. The strength of this line's design lies in the elegance of the structure rather than the decoration.

Like the Love collection, Trinity jewelry is designed to bring versatility of wear, and unisexuality. The design is suitable for rings, bracelets, necklaces and pendants, for both men and women, which was remarkable at the time of creation.

The aesthetic is enduring : despite evolutions, the collection maintains its iconic strength thanks to the clarity of the formal concept and its apparent simplicity.

The rings are not fused but articulated, allowing for a light sliding play. The mobility of the structure is an important part of the jewelry experience. The joining of the three bands requires a high degree of control to ensure visual balance, fluidity of movement and homogeneity of metals.

In addition to the initial ring, the collection includes bracelets, necklaces, but also diamond-set versions. The technical adaptation to each format requires dimensional and structural adjustments.

The metal surfaces are treated with a high-quality polish, guaranteeing brilliance and visual elegance, important characteristics of Cartier fine jewelry.

The history of the House of Cartier

The Cartier workshop was founded in Paris in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier, who took over the workshop from his master, Adolphe Picard. In 1874, he passed the business on to his son, Alfred Cartier, marking the transition to a more commercial and international dimension.

In 1899, one of the emblematic boutiques opened at 13 rue de la Paix. At the very beginning of the 20th century, the company established itself in London (1902) and New York (1917-1919) via the New York house, embodied by a historic building: the Mansion on 5th Avenue, the result of one of the most famous property swaps in history, the building having been acquired by Cartier in exchange for a diamond.

In 1902, on the occasion of the coronation of King Edward VII, Cartier made 27 tiaras for the English court, consolidating its status with royal families.

Cartier became a key player in luxury jewelry, working with precious metals, gemstones, platinum and registering patents such as the invisible setting to push back the boundaries of jewelry design.

Craftsmanship became central, with jewelers, setters and designers developing a style synonymous with elegance, exclusivity and innovation. The positioning " joaillier des rois et roi des joaillers " is attributed to Cartier by Edouard VII, reinforcing the house's image of international prestige.

The twentieth century is a period of globalization, the house moves from being a family business to an international brand, infested in many luxury markets around the world.

From 1970 to 1990, the house restructures, consolidates its activities and diversifies into watches, leather goods and accessories.

Today, Cartier is part of the Richemont luxury group, and operates in over 200 boutiques worldwide, while pursuing craftsmanship, technical innovation and heritage transmission.

Jean Cocteau's role in the creation of the Trinity ring

One of Cartier's legends associates Jean Cocteau (painter, designer and poet) with the creation of the Trinity ring. Cocteau is said to have asked Louis Cartier (officially creator of the design in 1924) to " transmute " a vision of three rings, which he had seen as the rings of Saturn into jewelry.

The Cartier archives actually indicate that the ring was designed by Louis Cartier in 1924, without a direct commission from Cocteau, and the house specifies that Jean Cocteau didn't purchase his ring until the early 1930s.

He became one of the first visible devotees of the model, and often wore two Trinity rings stacked on his left ring finger.

He gave one of these rings to his companion at the time, Jean Marais, with this attributed phrase " A ring for you, one for me, a third for our love ".

The display of Cocteau wearing the ring helped to establish the model as an auteur's jewel, blending jewelry and artistic creation. The fact that Cocteau was linked to the avant-garde (surrealism, poetry) reinforced the symbolic character of the piece.

Jean Cocteau himself claimed that he had " dreamed " the three rings without knowing exactly why, which reinforced the legend, aura and mystery surrounding this model that has become mythical.

Thanks to this association, the Trinity ring rose above mere jewelry to become a symbol of love, friendship and loyalty, adopted by figures from art, cinema and high society.

Recognizing authentic Trinity jewelry

Trinity jewelry is necessarily signed, hallmarked and marked with a serial number. There are an enormous number of counterfeits, so expertise is essential if you want to sell your jewelry.

Know the true value of your jewelry   

If you happen to own a piece of Cartier jewelry or think you might, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal using our form on our website.

A member of our team of experts and licensed auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your scarf, as well as ad hoc information about it.

If you wish to sell your work, you will also be accompanied by our specialists in order to benefit from alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking into account market inclinations.