The jewelry company has closed its three California brick-and-mortar stores, as well as its online shop, for now.
Cartier ‘Tutti Frutti’ Bracelet Sets Online Jewelry Auction Record
The Art Deco piece earned $1.34 million at Sotheby’s this week.

New York—If one recent auction is any indication, the desire for luxury jewelry items is alive and well.
This week, in a single-lot online sale, Sotheby’s New York sold a Cartier “Tutti Frutti” bracelet to an undisclosed buyer for $1.34 million. The Art Deco piece was expected to earn between $600,000 and $800,000.
Its final price tag is the highest price for any jewel sold in an online auction, according to Sotheby’s, as well as highest price for any jewel sold at auction so far in 2020 by any house.
Cartier’s Tutti Frutti styles exemplify a western cultural fascination with Asia in the Art Deco period, Sotheby’s explained.
The first example of the work was Pierre Cartier’s necklace for Queen Alexandra in 1901. The wife of King Edward VII, she was the Empress Consort of India and desired an Indian-inspired style.
Pierre Cartier’s brother, Jacques Cartier, traveled to India in 1911. Inspired by the sights and cultures he encountered, he embarked on the Tutti Frutti collection in earnest, incorporating carved Mughal gemstones into geometric platinum, diamond and enamel patterns that exemplified Deco style.
Several jewels in this style were exhibited at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. Fashionable women like Cole Porter and Daisy Fellowes became fans and collectors.
Each Tutti Frutti jewel is one-of-a-kind. This particular one boasts carved emeralds, rubies and sapphires set in platinum with diamonds, onyx and enamel.
“The result achieved for this bracelet is testament to the fact that, even under the most challenging of circumstances, the demand for great art endures,” Catharine Becket, Sotheby’s head of magnificent jewels auctions in New York, said in a statement.
The bracelet that sold this week hasn’t appeared at auction before. It was created circa 1930 and has been passed down through an American family for the last 30-plus years.
The family who sold it also sold the 35-carat Flagler Emerald at Sotheby’s in 2015, which shattered its $1 million to $1.5 million pre-sale estimate, selling for $2.8 million.
“Tutti Frutti jewels have always held a special allure for collectors, capturing the West’s fascination with the ‘exotic’ at a time when travel was relatively limited, much as it is today,” Becket added. “Now, of course, we can connect with the touch of a button, which allowed us to engage with bidders worldwide. We look forward to bringing more great jewels to the marketplace in the months ahead as
Overall, Sotheby’s online jewelry sales in 2020 have sold 93 percent of lots for a total $7.4 million, above high-end sale estimates. Bidders hail from more than 30 countries and 30 percent of all bidders in 2020 were doing so for the first time with Sotheby’s.
The Latest

The company is providing the opportunity for an FIT student to work alongside master diamond cutter Willie Lopez in its workshop.

He is remembered for his successful entrepreneurship, generosity, and dedication to his family.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

The jewelry store chain has reportedly been struggling with costs related to tariffs as well as tough retail competition.


Welcome warm summer days with red hot rubies perfectly chosen as July’s birthstone.

Co-founders Afzal Imram and Lin Ruiyin brought their son’s story of a cosmic egg, toadstool, and railroad to life in their new collection.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

The best time to prepare for the holiday season is right now, according to columnist Emmanuel Raheb.

This year’s winner is Morgan Keefe, who is currently studying at GIA to be a gemologist.

“The Jewelry Book” comes out this September.

The company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.

Following its recent acquisition, the storied brand has updated its leadership team and regional managers.

AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.

The 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.

Rocksbox President Allison Vigil shared the retailer’s expansion plans, and her thoughts on opening stores in malls.

The creator of the WJA Chicago chapter is remembered as a champion for women in the jewelry industry and a loving grandmother.

The decline was consistent across age groups and almost all income groups, with tariffs and inflation still top of mind.

The “Playlist: Electric Dreams” collection brings lyrics from the musician’s song, “Little Wing,” to life through fine jewelry.

The event is set for May 16-19 in Detroit, Michigan.

The Vault’s Katherine Jetter is accusing the retailer of using info she shared for a potential partnership to move into Nantucket.

Agents seized 2,193 pieces, a mix of counterfeit Cartier “Love” and “Juste Un Clou” bracelets, and Van Cleef & Arpels’ “Alhambra” design.

The designer brought her children’s book, “The Big Splash Circus,” to life through a collection of playful fine jewelry characters.

The trade association has chosen the recipients of the funding initiative it formed to foster the growth and sustainability of the industry.

The organization has also announced this year’s slate of judges.

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 additional pieces that stood out to her at the Couture show.

Lori Tucker started at Williams Jewelers when she was 18 years old.