A ROYAL AFFAIR

or over a century Cartier has been creating India-inspired jewellery. It all began in 1911, when Jacques Cartier, grandson of Louis-FranÇois Cartier, the French watchmaker who established the Cartier business in 1847, set sail for the subcontinent in search of the finest gems. There, he encountered fluted beads, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds carved into leaves, flowers, and berries—all typical of the Indian jewellery tradition. These inspired him to create never-before-seen colour combinations: Red, green, and blue. Bracelets, wristwatches,