In 1971, Cartier launched a truly pioneering piece of jewellery. Realised by Aldo Cipullo, the Studio 54 loving in-house designer who first made his mark with the wildly successful Love bracelet, Juste un Clou (“just a nail”) was a series of pieces inspired by the most basic of hardware. But while the concept – a DIY subversion of luxury – was progressive, it was what they symbolised on a broader cultural level that was most brilliant.

“It was born in the context of late 60s, early 70s New York and this new, very specific spirit – contrasting sophistication with a taste for the casual,” says Pierre Rainero, Cartier’s head of image, heritage and style. Discussing the the pieces in light of their latest evolution (which now includes a new torque necklace, celebrated with a mega garage-themed pop-up during this year’s Salone del Mobile Milan), Rainero emphasises that the industrial Juste un Clou echoed the tensions vibrating through New York at the time. Liberation and restraint. Protest and war. Launched when Robert Mapplethorpe was toying with a Polaroid camera; and when Andy Warhol was screen printing flowers in a comment on the hippie movement’s darker side; the jewellery reflected the anti-conformist energy surging through society.

Indeed, it’s often been said that style mirrors reality. Just look at fashion right now. What with the volatility of our current political state, it’s little wonder that many designers have been creating in the throws of one of two extremes: the everyday, and the escapist. We’ve had Demna Gvasalia reframe workwear stereotypes at Vetements and ‘luxurise’ the Ikea bag at Balenciaga; and at Gucci’s opposite end of the spectrum, Alessandro Michele has continued his whimsical, theme-packed costume drama with seemingly endless energy.

But where these designers work to a rotational schedule, the likes of high jewellery masters Cartier create on their own terms. Inspired by the global movements of society and culture, theirs is a looser creative process that has, as Rainero here explains, often captured the mood of the time.

Tempe Nakiska: You’ve been with Cartier for many years now, what originally attracted you to the brand?
Pierre Rainero: I originally joined Cartier to take care of communications – advertising specifically. What I liked about Cartier is the idea of conveying the beauty of the objects, but also the idea that Cartier has always been exposed to many different cultures and many different territories. And the idea that Cartier could enjoy a universal awareness and image was very exciting to me.

Tempe: How has the customer changed over the years?
Pierre: The biggest change compared to 30 years ago is the renewal of interest in the artistic dimension of jewellery – today, more and more people are interested in that aspect. It’s not a question of preciousness, but also of design and style. We can consider we are back to the happy days of the 1920 and 30s, when jewellery was at the centre of dedicated exhibitions, based on that artistic dimension. We are very happy with this evolution as that’s what Cartier is about. And it can be noticed with the success of the High Jewellery today.

“Cartier has always been exposed to many different cultures and many different territories.”

Tempe: In your role today, you’re very involved with Cartier’s heritage and history. What would you say are some of the key moments where Cartier’s evolution was in tune with major cultural or societal changes around the world?
Pierre: Cartier is Cartier because it was always in tune with most of the important cultural and social changes. For example, the introduction of platinum at the very end of the 19th century allowed us to create wonderful pieces where the metal almost disappeared in favour of the stones themselves. This linked also with the birth of a new style for the 20th century, inspired by the neo-classical style from the end of the 18th century, which very quickly became ‘Style Modern’ – which would eventually be the birth of the Art Deco style twenty years later. So we can say that Cartier is at the very origin of this modernity, in terms of decorative arts in the field of jewellery and watches, and as far as pure shapes are concerned.

Cartier was also at the forefront of the notion of figurative jewellery in the late 30s and 40s – when women were enjoying the freedom to express themselves through jewellery as a metaphor on freedom and character.

And there is the invention of the first design wrist watch in 1904, followed by the transformation of that same watch (the Santos) with a metal bracelet in the 70s. The watch became an elegant item that you could wear the entire day; at work, playing tennis, at a cocktail party; and dinner – and that was the epitome of that 70s mix of sophistication and casual behaviour. 

Tempe: The three Cartier brothers had a strong appreciation of culture, and travelled the world quite a lot. Can you tell me a bit about them?
Pierre: In fact, the three brothers did not travel the same way. Louis concentrated more in Europe and he travelled for cultural reasons – Spain, Italy, and Hungary. He also went to Russia and to England, but mostly in Europe. He visited his brother Pierre in New York after he settled there, in fact he died in New York in 1942. Jacques, the younger one – since he was the head of Cartier in London – had a responsibility for all the territories linked with Great Britain, so he used to go to India, Emirates and Switzerland. His last trip to India was just before WW2 in 1939, and he died in South West of France in 1941. Pierre (the second brother) travelled for more commercial reasons, going to St. Petersburg, where he opened a store for the season every year until beginning of WW1, in 1914. He also opened stores in London and New York– where he took care of the business until WW2, when he returned to Europe.

“We also have diaries of the Cartier brothers’ employees, who went to Japan, China, and Persia as early as 1908.”

We also have diaries of the brothers’ employees who went to Japan, China, and Persia as early as 1908. Those trips were very important – as at the same time they were exploring new territories commercially, they were bringing back elements of jewellery for inspiration for the atelier in Rue de La Paix. For instance, at this period the feathers of the blue were brought back to make dials for clocks.

Tempe: Speaking a bit about the Juste un Clou, would you say the notion of the nail symbolises anything in particular?
Pierre: In fact, in comparison to the Love bracelet, where the design is linked to a certain symbolism, the Juste un Clou has no preconceived symbolism. But still, it is very symbolic in some ways. It’s very smooth, very round, and at the same time it’s also a nail, which can be harmful. There’s also that tension between something precious and the design itself which is inspired by something from ordinary life.

Tempe: What is really fascinating about the Juste un Clou is the period it arose within – the 1970s. How did the evolution of the pieces tie with the social change that was happening at the time?
Pierre: What we can notice is that it was born in the context of late 60s, early 70s New York and this new, very specific spirit – contrasting sophistication with a taste for the casual. Those two objects – the Love bracelet and Juste un Clou – do express that kind of tension, and the pleasure of wearing such an object that combines those two different aspects. 

“The Juste un Clou was born in the context of late 60s, early 70s New York and this new, very specific spirit – contrasting sophistication with a taste for the casual.”

Tempe: And in the 60s and 70s there was a changeover in the clientele that luxury jewellery brands served – moving from more traditional high jewellery clients to those who were more involved in the art world. How did the anti-conformist spirit of New York at that time impact Cartier?
Pierre: As far as the specific environment of Cartier is concerned, I think in fact the revolutionary spirit of the 60s was even stronger in London than it was in New York. And the result of swinging London and the subversive and anti-conformist attitude of New York was that clientele wanted to wear jewellery that had a sense of tension within it. 

Tempe: Can you name some of the famous clients who represented that clientele shift in New York in the 70s? In the art world, specifically.
Pierre: Yes of course, because let’s not forget that for instance Andy Warhol was a faithful client of Cartier. There was a link between Cartier and the artistic creation of that time in New York, but also the likes of Liza Minnelli in the 70s. And we have wonderful pictures of personalities wearing [the Love bracelet] such as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. 

Tempe: I read that some hospitals in New York would have a screwdriver on hand to remove the Love bracelet, should one of their emergency room patients be wearing one when they arrive to hospital! Do you have any similar anecdotes from when the Love launched?
Pierre: In fact, many couples were going to Central Park and throwing away their screw drivers in the lake! The particularity of the bracelet is that you need someone else to fix it on your wrist – so that’s something that you do to each other. Then you could throw out the screw driver as a symbol of attachment to the person with whom you were in love.

Tempe: Are there any other moments in Cartier’s history that represent the idea of the ordinary becoming precious? That have some kind of physical connection with tools and the DIY?
Pierre: In fact, that inspiration from mechanics dates from very early on, as early as the 20s and 30s. For example, a pair of bracelets that were worn by Marlene Dietrich for a long time. Her daughter told us she loved them because they were so present that they could often easily be seen in pictures.

Also, I think the common point between all the themes of inspiration at Cartier comes from things outside of jewellery. For instance, when Cartier is inspired by China or Persia, or the Mogul empire, Japan, or Russia, the inspiration doesn’t come from jewellery from those cultures but from other artistic expressions or from day-to-day life. We talk a lot about the Kokoshnik tiara, which was inspired by a precious head ornament of the same name, worn by Russian peasant women on special occasions. Because it doesn’t come from the aristocracy, it shows that inspiration could come from traditional aspects of culture.

We still have that kind of inspiration documented, in scrap books from designers from beginning of the 20th Century, because Louis Cartier encouraged [his employees] to document all these themes of inspiration – from planes, trains, and automobiles to flowers, trees, golfers, boats, and architecture. The main point was being curious about the world and being open to new ideas.

For more on the Juste un Clou, head to www.cartier.com