When these luminous glass pieces landed on Indian shores in the late 18th century, they sparked an immediate design revolution. Wealthy Indian royals and elite patrons, captivated by the glass’s brilliant, reflective quality, began commissioning local artisans to replicate the Western technique.

Discover how Cartier’s contemporary high-jewelry collection remixes the past. This piece translates the historic, hand-engraved gemstone traditions of the Indian courts into a hyper-modern engineering feat designed for the modern collector.

The design of this collection faithfully revives an opulent 1780 Chinese export pattern originally created for Portugal and Brazil’s luxury markets. It tells a story of global maritime trade networks, featuring a small, stylized phoenix bird nestled among the asymmetric, sprawling foliage of a flowering Nicotiana (tobacco) plant.