If you only know Cartier as synonymous with jaw-dropping jewels in impeccable settings, you’ll soon know the Maison as Brilliant. Private jet company Jet Linx Denver is a proud sponsor of Brilliant: Cartier in the 20th Century at the Denver Art Museum. The exhibition was organized by the DAM & curated by Margaret Young-Sánchez, Frederick and Jan Mayer Curator at the museum. Focused on the years 1900 – 1975, the exhibition will include an assortment of jewelry, timepieces and precious objects.

Interior View: Cigarette case sold to Willis McCormick, president of Queen Aviation and inscribed with the signatures of approximately thirty figures related to the birth of aviation. Cartier Paris, 1912. Silver, gold, sapphire; 8.86 x 8.48 cm. Cartier Collection. Photo: Nick Welsh, Cartier Collection © Cartier.

“Many things attracted me to Cartier — their reputation for great design, their production of iconic jewels (like the Duchess of Windsor’s flamingo brooch) and the existence of a wonderful archive, with a great deal of documentation on both the firm and the products,” said Margaret Young-Sánchez. “I think Cartier’s production and history, as presented in the exhibition, mirror the ever-increasing internationalism of the 20th century, leading right up to the cultural, political and economic globalization of today.”

Founded in Paris in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier, his grandsons Louis, Pierre and Jacques made the brand famous worldwide. Always on the cutting edge of art and technology, the Maison Cartier was awarded 15 royal patents between 1904 and 1939.

“The evolution of Cartier takes us on a journey through 20th century history, from the era of the last czars in Russia to the Roaring ’20s in America to the onset of Hollywood glamour as we know it,” said Christoph Heinrich, Frederick and Jan Mayer Director of the DAM. “Focusing in on the creativity and pioneering vision of the Cartier brothers and their designers, visitors will walk away not only in awe of Cartier’s stunning works of art but also aware of the drastic cultural shifts that took place throughout the history of the Maison.”

“Must-haves for this collection included Daisy Fellowes’ tutti frutti necklace, Duchess of Windsor’s panther brooch, María Félix’s crocodile necklace and Countess Granard’s emerald necklace,” said Young-Sánchez. “Making choices was difficult, because I had my pick of a truly dazzling collection of extraordinarily high-quality objects. One choice I made, in order to give viewers a broader, more accurate view of Cartier’s production, was to include a strong selection of accessories and decorative arts objects — things like purses, gem-studded vanity and cigarette cases, a cocktail set and a marvelous mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquer cigarette box.”

The installation will include a selection of preparatory drawings, advertising materials and movie stills in addition to the precious items. It includes pieces from the Cartier Collection, as well as loans from museums and private collections. Two pieces included are related directly to aviation: a cigarette case owned by the president of Queen Aviation and inscribed with the signatures of famous figures related to the birth of flight, and the Santos wristwatch, created for Brazilian pilot Alberto Santos-Dumont.

“It’s important to support what is important to our clients and our community,” said Jeff Puckett, Base Partner and CEO at Jet Linx Denver. “Although aviation is based in science, it also has a lot of art aspects that draw people to travel and flight. We thought it was a perfect match for Jet Linx to support this exhibition.”

“We were first drawn to Brilliant because one of our clients, Lanny Martin, is the Chairman of the Denver Art Museum and a longtime supporter of the arts community,” said Jon Maxfield, Vice President, Sales and Operations. “Through Lanny, we attended the DAM’s charity event, Uncorked, in April 2014. At the event, it was evident that the arts community in Denver already had a strong network of Jet Linx clients.” Jet Linx Denver has plans to further support the DAM through the donation of a flight for the Uncorked event in 2015.

Diamonds are forever, but Brilliant is only on display Nov. 16, 2014 – March 15, 2015, and only at the Denver Art Museum.

To read more about Brilliant at the Denver Art Museum, see the full article in the Fall 2014 issue of SOAR.