Cartier at the Biennial Antiques Festival 2008

Designer Jewelry: With over 150 years in business, the jewelry house of Cartier is one of the oldest and most distinguished in the world. So it was no wonder that Cartier was one of the premiere exhibitors at the recent 24th Biennale Antiques Festival 2008.

Held every two years, the Antiques Festival features 100 antique dealers, numerous international and renowned jewelers, and about 90,000 collectors and art enthusiasts. Competition for space is fierce, as the Syndicate National des Antiquaires carefully selects only the highest quality products for display. This year's exclusive event was held at the Grand Palais, the glass exhibition hall in Paris, France.

For the 24th Biennale Antiques Festival 2008, Cartier displayed jewelry and watches with signature designs that have long been part of the Cartier brand of luxury, including mythical chimeras, flying tourbillon watch and precious Cartier pieces evoking Chinese aesthetics, most especially the dragon.

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Chimeras are mythical creatures symbolizing water, fire and ice and were carefully brought to life in some of the 70 pieces on display utilizing cool diamonds and colored stones, including fiery rubies, to evoke images of feathered dragons and the passion of ancient stories in luxuriously draped necklaces.

The Ballon bleu de Cartier Flying Tourbillon is a timepiece honored with the Geneva Seal of approval. The luxuriously sleek design is combined with modern watch making techniques for a perfect synchronization of style and function.

From almost the beginning, China has played a strong role in the aesthetics of Cartier. Most recently inspired by the iconic dragon, Cartier has introduced its fourth incarnation in the new "Menagerie by Cartier" collection featuring pens and lighters surrounded by golden dragons.

The 24th Biennale Antiques Festival 2008 paid tribute to Cartier's long history of making jewelry and watches fit for royalty in a display of 70 of some of the most wondrous pieces in the Cartier collection.

For LxM Carly Zinderman

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