Editorialist Feature: Grain de Café

The Elegant Legacy Of Cartier’s Grain de Café Collection

Gold, luxurious diamonds, and intricate craftsmanship – all shine with Cartier’s new collection.

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Cartier’s new Grain de Café collection is a beautiful testament of timelessness and elegance across the decades. Originating from the archives, worn by a Princess, and redesigned for today, the collection was–and still is–created from the ethos of finding beauty where it’s least expected. Today, the humble coffee bean takes on a new life in this new extraordinary collection. It's one our editors can't wait to wear this summer, as the glamorous spirit of the French Riviera beckons.

Blossoming in bountiful opulence, Grain de Café is based on the coffee bean motif, originally dreamt up by Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier creative director from 1933 to 1970. Inspired by the full, round shape of the bean, the current capsule collection is designed as living, moving, and joyful constructions. It took over 60 prototypes designed by 30 craftspeople to perfect. To play around with volume compositions, the beans are studded with diamonds while varying cuts cascade as the eye moves down.

This new collection is based on two of the Maison’s style ethos: flora crafted in gold and the ordinary becoming extraordinary. Enhanced by sunlight, the coffee beans stir and shimmer with gentle movement, while the studded diamonds add delicacy and femininity to each piece. The intricate and miniature dimensions of the coffee bean are shown in the rings, necklace, and bracelet that are mounted on a chain in two colors of gold, topped with a single or double crown of beans set with diamonds of different sizes.

This highly coveted collection has been linked to significant moments in time–most notably when it was worn by style icon Grace Kelly. A wedding gift from Prince Rainier III of Monaco, the actress turned princess received a set that she later wore in portraits and special moments throughout her life. A display of timeless elegance, the collection has since been spotted over the years from the silver screen to magazine covers, royal engagements and now in the new short film featuring Elle Fanning. The past, present, and future become one in this new jewelry collection.