Cartier had previously set a ruby and diamond clusters on a necklace for its stock in 1937, on top right.
A year later they were reworked into the bangle we see today.The first anniversary gift, which the Duchess of Windsor received from her husband, the Duke of Windsor, on 3 June 1938. The order must have been placed with Cartier Paris earlier that year and delivered to the Duke ahead of the couple leaving town to spend the summer in the south of France. To mark love, passion, good fortune, courage and prosperity, the Duke had chosen rubies to take the centre stage of this unique jewel.a sleek and sophisticated reinterpretation of the Art Deco style. Very avantgarde, it is one of Cartier’s most unusual designs which never cease to surprise by their simplicity.
Probably the Duke bought the old version of the necklace with the large rubies - see on top right, and later the rest are rebuild for the Cross-over Diamond Necklace as we see in the picture wearing from the Duchess of Windsor.
Wallis Duchess of Windsor used this excentric carree and navette diamond necklace, which looks like feathers, till the year 1990 in public.
Source: Archive Ursula Butschal;Cartier;Christies 2021.
