Three red leather boxes embossed in gold, each a different size and shape, but what’s inside?
Join Helen Molesworth, senior curator of Jewellery at the V&A as she unboxes some incredible gems from the collection, revealing a story of 20th century design evolution and global influence from one of the world’s most luxurious jewellery houses.
Which one of these spectacular diamond jewels could you see yourself wearing?
00:00 What is about to be unboxed?
00:24 Cartier – one of the most famous names in jewellery
00:37 Opening the largest red leather box to reveal the huge Manchester tiara
02:54 An introduction to the ‘garland style’
03:22 Adapting jewellery to make new pieces
05:07 Up next: is it a box or a display case?
06:16 ASMR moment as the diamond brooch-pendant is handled
07:05 Islamic influence on the jewel’s design
08:06 The jewellery case reveals a secret compartment (more ASMR!)
08:51 Using a special screwdriver to adapt the jewel
09:32 The final unboxing – a glittering diamond clip brooch
10:57 A closer look at the Chinese and islamic design influence
See more of our Unboxing films:
Discover more precious jewellery in our collection:
The Cartier exhibition is open from 12 April – 16 November 2025:
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