Designed as a hollowed rock crystal vessel of faceted hexagonal form, embellished with French-cut and cabochon sapphires with rose-cut diamond detail to the hinged lid, circa 1914, signed Cartier Paris Londres New York, numbered, French assay marks for platinum.
Accompanied by a letter of experties from IAJA dated February 1st 2024

Cartier's objects from this period are such beautiful feats of human indulgence...and this scent bottle is a little capsule of the Belle Epoque's quiet opulence.

The material itself - rock crystal, or Hyaline quartz - has been revered since prehistoric times and carved to form precious objects symbolic of power and purity ever since.

Due to its incredible transparency, rarity of fine specimens, and unique play of light, humans have formed a mystical fascination with the material. It is recorded in an Ancient Chinese treaty on geology by Jin Ni Zi (4th Century BC) and was described by Pliny (23 - 79 AD) in ‘Naturalis Historia’ as a form of permanently frozen or petrified ice.

This is a belief that continued through the Middle Ages (and wasn't really challenged until Danish geologist Nicolas Steno in the 17th Century), perpetuated by the fact that, outside of the importation from India and further East through Venice, a large deposit known by Europeans was high up in the Alps.

Since then it has been the cornerstone of opulence and power for so many cultures and historical periods that I don't have the space to detail them here. Whilst the zenith of its popularity was in the 16th Century, it was a favourite of the first quarter of the 20th century for French jewellers. Embracing an age of experimental mediums, rock crystal became the perfect accompaniment for white diamonds - creating playful contrasts in light reflection and refraction.

Belle Epoque's jewellery is known for its sober colour palettes and delicate diamond and platinum work...this little scent bottle, made of its magical petrified ice, has a delicate embellishment that feels equally as magical...