What do Grace Kelly, Alain Delon, Romy Schneider, and Gary Cooper have in common? The Trinity ring. Whether worn on the pinky finger, the ring finger, in pairs, by him or her, as a pendant, on stage, or off-screen, the Trinity is the ultimate icon.
The Trinity ring was born in 1924. A hundred years later, Cartier celebrates the anniversary of this jewelry piece, a symbol of the maison’s values. Values such as diversity, demonstrated in the three rings of yellow, rose, and white gold that come together harmoniously to create a trio. Three rings full of meaning and sentiment. Celebrating Trinity is celebrating Cartier. Because it’s where it all began—a ring born from the imagination of Louis Cartier, far from the norms of its time, a ring that eventually became the maison’s first design icon. Secondly, because from the start, the Trinity echoes the story of Cartier, that of the three brothers, Louis, Pierre, and Jacques, and the three historic Cartier boutiques in Paris, London, and New York. Finally, because three is the perfect number, the magic number, and because it’s for everyone—famous or not—without age limits, without borders, designed and made for all, without taboos. It is a universal icon that weaves bonds of love and whose codes have become Cartier’s signature: Happy anniversary, Trinity.
This innovative piece broke with traditional craftsmanship by looking beyond jewelry centered on precious stones. Everything about it was bold: the chromatic combination, the fluidity of the rings, the simplicity of the design, and its symbolic strength. Trinity was a precursor to modernity. It was ahead of its time.
New models and XL versions
The preciousness of Trinity lies in its ability to reinvent itself. This creative strength is entirely due to its design, constantly renewed by Cartier. Starting with the volume. There’s much to play with: thin or wider rings, multiplying up to ten, and stylized: ribbed, faceted, with relief. Over time, Trinity has dared to use the most creative, precious, and unexpected materials. After all, since 1924, Trinity has tried it all!
To celebrate 100 years of Trinity, Cartier has imagined new simple and pure, yet bold models. The XL bracelet from the 2000s, a cult creation, has been reissued, and an XL version of the iconic ring has also been launched.
The new Trinity designs
White gold, yellow gold, rose gold: the chromatic trilogy is always present, along with mobility and clean lines. What has changed is the shape and distortion of the bracelets. A creative and bold style exercise, combined with a geometric approach from the maison’s design studios, resulted in an original variation of the timeless Trinity. A cushion-shaped version is now available, where the rings slide over each other as naturally as the round version. This new design is the object of a collection consisting of classic and large model rings, all in gold or paved with diamonds, a bracelet, and a pendant. Cartier goes even further and creates a singularly multiple version. The modular version, available since last March, can be worn as a single, large bracelet or as three, depending on the wearer’s preference. Intertwined, the three bracelets unfold like a construction game, revealing their diamonds as they move.
XL versions: a reinterpretation of the bracelet and new ring sizes
The first Trinity bracelet (1924) was purchased by the famous American decorator Elsie de Wolfe and worn by actress Kendall Lee, photographed in 1925 for Vogue with Trinity bracelets stacked in pairs. Three spectacular bracelets reproduce the mobility and fluidity of the ring but are made to encircle the wrist. The maison has increased the volume of the three bands in this XL version, now available, and also introduces a large and powerful ring, whose size underscores the timeless modernity of the Trinity.
What Marie-Laure Cérède, Director of Watchmaking and Jewelry, says
How do you approach such an iconic Cartier design as the Trinity? What is the creative margin of maneuver?
The idea of redesigning the Cartier Trinity, an icon par excellence, seemed like an impossible feat. But the challenge intrigued us. We went ahead, but we freed ourselves from the obligation to produce a result at all costs. If a new design sparked inspiration, we fully embraced it. But if it didn’t resonate, we agreed not to take the project further. To redesign the Trinity, we started from the beginning: three golds, transformed into three bands independently but inseparably united: three of one and one of three. Beyond the emotion that emanates from its undulating dance… Anchored by its sacred values, our goal was to capture the absolute essence of the original but with a unique creative recipe that adds value.
Why a square shape?
The new design required a tailored approach. Instead of starting from a hand-drawn sketch, we worked the volume by hand—kneading the material, rolling it, compressing it, highlighting a creative direction. To our surprise, an unexpected new shape began to emerge: a cushion. After unlocking the shape, we had to identify its ideal proportions. With the same delicacy of a sculptor, we removed layers, little by little, a tenth of a millimeter at a time. It was a work of extreme precision.
What was your creative goal with the modular Trinity ring?
The modular Trinity adopts a counterintuitive design approach: construction and then deconstruction. Like a kumiki puzzle, we imagined the Trinity bands interconnected as a structure and then designed in reverse to deconstruct them into three. This naturally creates multiple ways to wear the same ring, making this Trinity a very contemporary piece and contributing to its universality. Wear the ring for a discreet daytime look and then undo the bands to reveal the diamonds at night.
