Cartier and the captivating allure of Princess Grace of Monaco
Princess Grace © Prince's Palace Archives
When Princess Grace crossed the threshold of the Prince’s Palace in April 1956, she bore not only the title of Princess of Monaco, but also a sparkling 10.47-carat diamond on her finger, a masterpiece by Cartier.
Cartier, founded in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier, was already jeweller to royal courts around the world at the beginning of the 20th century. It soon became the official supplier to the Sovereigns of Monaco, cementing a relationship that would last for several generations. The real turning point came in December 1955. Having met her at the Prince’s Palace on 6 May 1955 during the Cannes Film Festival, and after several months of correspondence, Prince Rainier III travelled to Philadelphia to ask Grace Kelly to marry him. On 31 December, he gave her a Cartier ring: an eternity wedding band set with alternating rubies and diamonds, made from Grimaldi family stones. The red and white gems were a reference to the Monegasque flag.
The engagement was officially announced on 5 January 1956 at a press conference at the Philadelphia Country Club. But that first ring, while full of meaning, did not fit with Hollywood’s standards at the time.
A legendary ring
A few weeks later, as Princess Grace was preparing to shoot what would be her last film, High Society, Prince Rainier learned that she had to wear an impressive fake ring in the movie. He categorically refused and immediately ordered a second ring from Cartier: a 10.47-carat emerald diamond, flanked by two diamond baguettes, mounted in platinum. It was estimated at $4.3 million at the time, around $38.8 million in today’s money. In one scene in the film, she is seen polishing the diamond in the ring with the corner of a silk sheet – this was her real engagement ring. It set new standards for celebrity engagement rings for decades to come.
Jewels for a princely wedding
The wedding of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III took place in two parts. On 18 April 1956, the civil ceremony took place in the Prince’s Palace throne room, followed by a reception for 3,000 Monegasque citizens. The following day, 19 April, the religious ceremony was held in Monaco’s Saint-Nicolas cathedral, broadcast live to over 30 million television viewers in nine countries. Princess Grace received a complete set from Cartier for the ceremonies. The rivière necklace features three rows of platinum mounted diamonds, totalling around 64 carats of round-cut and emerald-cut diamonds in a scalloped style that was characteristic of the 1950s. This was the necklace she wore her official portrait in 1956.
But the most remarkable item is the tiara gifted by the Société des Bains de Mer. The Cartier creation comprises three ruby and diamond elements mounted on a finely-set frame. Each element can be removed and worn as brooches or pendants, and the rubies replaced by diamonds to suit the occasion. This tiara symbolises the bond between the SBM and the new princess. In 2014, Cartier created a replica of the tiara for Grace of Monaco, a film starring Nicole Kidman.
Princess Grace’s personal collection
In addition to her official jewellery, Princess Grace created a personal collection with Cartier that reflected her personality. She regularly wore the Grain de café (coffee bean) necklace, a design introduced by Cartier at the instigation of Jeanne Toussaint, the company’s artistic director. Often in yellow gold with diamonds, it was worn on many official visits and was immortalised on a Monegasque stamp. His collection also includes Cartier animal brooches: from poodles (her favourite companions) to exotic birds and representations of roosters and hens.
A lasting legacy
The relationship between Cartier and the Princely Family continued after Princess Grace died in 1982. The jewels, kept at the Prince’s Palace, are regularly loaned out for international exhibitions. In 2014, the engagement ring and several brooches were on show at the Grand Palais in Paris. In 2018, the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra housed other pieces from the collection. In 2016, when Cartier reopened its 5th Avenue mansion in New York after a major renovation, it created the “Princess Grace Salon,” a display area set aside for exhibiting items with ties to the Princess.
On 1 June 2019, Charlotte Casiraghi, Princess Grace’s granddaughter, married Dimitri Rassam at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco. At the reception at Villa La Vigie, she wore a strapless white Chanel dress and, around her neck, the Cartier diamond necklace her grandmother wore for her official portrait in 1956. The piece still belongs to Prince Albert II and symbolises the continuity of a legacy handed down through the generations.
The Cartier creations still influence trends in fine jewellery today. WWD’s “Inside Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco’s Jewelry Vault” exhibition in September 2024 was a reminder of just how relevant these jewels still are, and how they continue to inspire contemporary designers.