French jewelry firm Cartier SA, known around the world simply as Cartier, introduced the Trinity wedding-band ring, along with the Trinity bracelet, in 1924. Under the heading, "The New Jewelry from Cartier," a 20s Vogue magazine ad, featuring a photograph by renowned photographer Edward Steichen, shows a model wearing the new Trinity ring with matching bracelets, "made from three flexible, interlocking, twisted rolls in three tones of gold – red, white and yellow." The ad continues to describe the Trinity jewelry as "amazingly chic and very moderate in price."
Traditionally, when the Trinity circle motif appears in the three colors of gold, it is said to symbolize the three different stages of a relationship: white for friendship, rose for love, and yellow for fidelity. This Trinity relationship theme has endured in popularity around the world for generations. Also, recently, Cartier has incorporated a new slogan for the series which reads: "Trinity. All about you forever." This ad campaign is expected to appeal to women – who may or may not be in a relationship – who want right-hand rings or classic, timeless, ornamental jewelry for themselves.
Louis Cartier Trinity Ring Made Famous by Elsie de Wolfe
In 1925, under the direction of Louis Cartier, grandson of the company's founder, Cartier showcased the Trinity ring during the huge, progressive, post-war Paris Exhibition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. The great public exhibition showcased important industrial and decorative arts. The idea was to display only original items of stylistic and functional novelty.
Compare, for example, the fresh and simplistic style of the Trinity ring to the ornate jewelry popular during earlier eras, like Victorian and Rocco styles. New design ideas, like the modern Trinity ring, that were a departure from the "old styles" were of great interest at the time. Also, at this time, leaders in the fields of art, craft, fashion, architecture, design, literature and performance were often close friends and acquaintances. These creative and talented individuals, from different countries around the world, inspired and encouraged one another. Often, their ideas and creations were closely linked.
Multi-talented trendsetter and longtime Cartier client, Elsie de Wolfe, known today as America's first decorator, brought instant attention and desirability to Cartier's newly designed Trinity line as she wore her well-recognized Trinity ring. Many credit her as the person who made the ring so popular.
Rolling Ring Features Moveable Interlocking Circles
Today, the Trinity de Cartier series remains "chic," and is much beloved, and has grown to include many variations, including earrings and jewelry pieces made with diamonds, as well as platinum and ceramic material. Yet, one aspect of the design remains constant – the iconic interlocking circles.
The Trinity ring style is sometimes referred to as a "rolling ring" – describing how the mobile, interlocking bands slide and cascade in and out of one another and may be endlessly changed and manipulated by the wearer. In addition to the everlasting design, this unique characteristic of the ring is most appealing to wearers.
La Maison Cartier offers the "classic" model Trinity ring in a 4mm band width. However, the ring may be had in several other widths, including smaller (and less expensive) 1.5mm and 2.9mm, as well as larger 5.9mm width and more. In addition to the 18K three-color gold, Trinity rings come in all-white gold, platinum and ceramic, and may include one or all three rings with channel-set, star-set, or paved diamonds. Diamonds may be colorless, or colored yellow, white and pink.
Cartier Trinity Series Ring, Bracelet, Necklace
In addition to the three-band ring, there are several styles which include: five bands; seven bands; fused three-band wedding ring; wedding ring with solitaire diamond; "Crash" style; "Two for Trinity" style; and at one time, some merged with some of Cartier's other themed jewelry, including the company's les must collection (marketed during the 1970's as Cartier's "must have" jewelry pieces). Also, Cartier has introduced a Trinity Sauvage ring, a 2.9mm three-band rolling ring with the gold band adorned with black lacquered "animal spots" to match pieces in the company's famous Panther line – another iconic Cartier motif made famous by Elsie de Wolfe.
Also, there are Trinity motif bracelets (including bangles, chains, cotton cord and others), earrings (pierced in drop, hoop, huggie and others), necklaces (chain, lariat, drop pendant, draped and others) in many styles and sizes, with and without diamonds. These pieces are offered new in a wide range of price points, from several hundred dollars, to tens of thousands to unpublished prices that must be requested from the jeweler. Simply stated, there is a Trinity piece to suit just about anyone and any occasion.
Copied by jewelers around the world, and described by many as the most comfortable ring ever worn, the classic Trinity ring remains the flagship piece in the Trinity series. In fact, the Trinity ring may very well be Cartier's most adored and recognizable jewelry piece. Certainly, it is one of the most distinctive and wearable jewelry pieces of all time.
More Cartier Information, Jewelry Ideas
The book, Cartier, by Hans Nadelhoffer, published in 2007 by Chronicle Books LLC, presents a comprehensive and interesting history with beautiful full-color photographs about Cartier SA, its people, jewelry and accessories. The company's main website is Cartier.com.
Classic jewelry includes the iconic tennis bracelet; three-stone Past, Present, Future jewelry; the Journey-style drop pendant necklace; drop-style and and solitaire diamond earrings; drop-pearl and pearl-strand necklaces, bracelets and earrings; gold and silver dangling charm bracelets; collectible new, estate and vintage "high jewelry;" gold and platinum watches, and 20th- and 21st-century designer collections. In addition to Cartier's Trinity series the Tiffany Keys make enduring jewelry pieces suitable for almost anyone.
Claire Eddins - Writer/editor, award-winning photographer Claire Eddins collects gems, horses, and obsesses over home, art, and design.
