Forget Flowers, Cactus de Cartier Is The New Botanical Jewellery You'll Love

While we wouldn’t necessarily fall head over heels over thorns (can you imagine how that’d be like taken literally?), Cartier’s making a strong case for cacti — the never-say-die succulent that millennials love in their flatlays, and yes, the ones that thrive in the harshest of desert conditions. So maybe they have a bad rep for being unapproachable, but we’ve since cosied up to it (again, not literally), first, because they’re the only living things that don’t die on us, second, after realising they work wonders on our skin, and third, because this jewellery collection easily makes the prickly plant so damn desirable.
Case in point:

The Cactus de Cartier collection puts the spotlight on the cactus, an edgy move that sets Cartier apart from its contemporaries since they’ve moved away from the traditional delicate floral motifs. Here, we get rings, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces, often oversized and deliberately un-dainty in order to mimic the unconventional spiky plant. As with anything by Cartier, there’s of course an element of refinement to it: exquisite details include chrysoprases, emeralds, carnelians, lapis lazuli and brilliant-cut diamonds, seen in bold colourful pieces that capture the cactus standing resplendent in the desert. That they are in spherical clusters immediately makes the jewellery more appealing to the eye, you’ll even want to reach out to run your fingers over the tactile structures.

Then, there’s also a more subtle range that focuses on gold beads, arranged in a spiral pattern that radiates from an embellished centre. Statement pieces that we particularly love include a double ring and a cuff that you can easily slip on your wrist, that look more radiant when they catch the light, while a necklace with a chunky pendant at the end is something that’d look great with v-neck tops or minimalist dresses. Be warned though — none of these are actually that affordable thanks to the precious materials that they’re made from, and we mean $20,000 just for a ring, but hey, at least these plants won’t wither on you, right?