Length approximately 410mm
「千萬別低估珍珠的力量。」- 皮埃爾卡地亞
珍珠是人類最早發現的寶石,因為擁有純潔的外表、自然的美感和獨特的光澤,所以自古以來都備受注目。可是珍珠卻又十分難尋獲,因為其形成取決於發生在大自然裡的意外 --- 當有外來物進入一隻牡蠣生物的體內就會觸發牠分泌珍珠母,一層又一層地將外來物包起,漸漸變成我們認知的珍珠。
這種意外發生的機率很低,在約一萬隻牡蠣中才可能形成一顆珍珠,而在這些珍珠中又只有少量逹到寶石級別。由於產量有限,珍珠的價值在歷史中持續居於高位,以前更加是皇室才配擁用的珍寶。在西方國家它們固然受到珍藏和重視,在東方文化中也是地位超然的寶石。
要集合到足夠的天然珍珠去打做一條項鏈殊不簡單,而要進一步集合到完美渾圓、光澤明亮,並且無論是主色和伴色都匹配的一組天然珍珠,這樣的一條項鏈代表了奢華的極致,絶對是價值連城的珠寶。
據說埃及艷后為了在羅馬帝國面前彰顯埃及的強盛,將一顆天然珍珠磨成粉放進酒了,一吞而下。在十六世紀時的歐洲,英格蘭的伊利莎百一世對珍珠十分迷戀,油畫中的她經常整個人都披滿了珍珠,也因為如此,她在位的時期被稱為「珍珠的輝煌時代」。在東方國家,慈禧太后相信進食珍珠能保青春,容顏不老,也能定神。而在印度,許多大君的夫人都裝滿一箱箱的珍珠,佩戴時一串一串的掛在脖子上,氣勢傲人。
此條三行珍珠項鏈集合超過200顆天然海水珍珠,它們不但擁有最受歡迎的白色主色,更重要的是伴色是粉嫩的粉紅色,也是粒粒匹配,形狀完美,更是無可挑剔。要選出如此大數量的珍珠去打造這條項鏈,原本就需用上過千顆的寶石級天然珍珠,經過精心挑選,才能排列出大小均勻的三行珍珠。
1910年代中期,當時卡地亞進駐美國才幾年,還沒有屬於自己的店面。皮埃爾卡地亞在他們位於二樓的沙龍展出一條雙行的天然珍珠項鏈,據說當時是全世界價錢最高的一條項鏈。鐵路大亨Morton Plant的妻子Maisie Plant一看傾心,下定決心要擁有它,最後以一整棟的紐約大樓交換了這條天然珍珠項鏈,成為一時佳話。也因為如此,卡地亞得以正式在紐約第五大道開展品牌的精品店,成為一代地標。
這次拍賣的此條項鏈是當今市場上難得一見的上等之作,粒粒天然珍珠完美得令人驚嘆。借用皮埃爾卡地亞開首的一句話:「千萬別低估珍珠的力量」,此項鏈的重要性更是無容置疑。
Never underestimate the power of pearls. - Pierre Cartier
Being one of the earliest gemstones known to mankind, pearls have been coveted for its purity, luster and natural beauty since ancient times. However, this gem has always been rare and extremely difficult to procure. They are formed under accidental circumstances when an irritant enters a mollusc which activates the production of nacre that becomes the layers of coating that lent a pearl its unique optical properties. Such natural accidents only take place approximately once in every ten thousand saltwater oysters and very few of those are of gem quality. Due to the uncertainty of supply, natural pearls are among the most consistently valuable gems in history with an almost exclusive association with royalties. They are prized and collected in the West, as much as they are treasured and worshipped in the East.
Story was told that Cleopatra dissolved grinded pearls in her wine to impress the Roman Empire of Egypt’s unrivalled wealth. In the 16th century Elizabeth I Queen of England was the central figure in ‘The Great Age of Pearl’, whose obsession with this gemstone was documented by portraits where she covered herself in pounds of pearls. In the Orient, Empress Dowager Cixi believed ingesting pearl powder helped to improve her complexion and calm her mind. In India, treasuries of Maharajas were filled with casket and casket of pearls that royals wore as extravagant strands in their bosoms.
To put together a row of natural pearls in matching high quality is no mean feat. When a necklace assembles a significant number of uniformly-coloured pearls with perfect round shape, fine lustre and attractive overtones, it represents an esteemed degree of opulence that commands great wealth.
This very necklace on offer assembles over two hundred pearls of not only the most desirable cream white body colour, but most importantly matching rose overtones. Over a thousand round natural pearls were required to make this meticulous selection, in order to achieve a gentle graduation of elegance.
In mid 1910’s, Cartier put a double-strand of Persian natural pearl on display in their newly-established New York salon. This necklace, which was the most expensive necklace at the time, immediately caught the eye of Maisie Plant, the wife of railroad tycoon Morton Plant. Plant eventually struck a deal with Pierre Cartier by trading an entire mansion in New York for the natural pearl necklace. This mansion is now known as the famous Cartier building on 5th Avenue New York.
This triple-strand necklace is a superb example of the finest natural pearl necklaces available on the market --- its power not to be underestimated, and its importance not to be questioned.