Cartier Paris Modernist Citrine Ear Clips Circa 1940

A striking pair of Cartier ear clips each conceived as a polished yellow gold lozenge surmounted by three boldly raised, curving rows of channel-set citrines. Graduated in height and following the rounded contour of the composition, the bands transform the gemstones into an architectural element, their warm golden color merging almost seamlessly with the surrounding gold. The contrast between the severe geometry of the diamond-shaped plaque and the sculptural, almost aerodynamic sweep of the citrine-set ridges gives the design its particular dynamism.

Created at a time when Cartier’s vocabulary was evolving toward the more volumetric forms of the late 1930s and 1940s, the ear clips have a distinctly modernist machine-age character. Rather than relying on intricate ornament, the design derives its impact from geometry, repetition, volume, and the play of light across the polished metal and faceted stones. The substantial gold surfaces and rich monochromatic palette anticipate the bold sculptural jewelry that would come to define the 1940s, while retaining Cartier’s characteristic precision and refinement.

• 1 inch wide
• 0.50 inch high
• Weighs 18.6 grams
• Signed Cartier Paris
• Numbered
• Come in their original red Cartier box