Why, you may well ponder, was Madrid – rather than the usual location of Paris – chosen for the unveiling of Cartier's latest high jewellery collection? Simple: history. This year marks 100 years since Cartier's first high jewellery exhibition was held at the Hotel Ritz in Madrid. But the French jeweller's relationship to the city predates even the roaring 20s, with a royal warrant granted to the house in 1904 by King Alfonso XIII of Spain, making Cartier the official supplier of jewellery for the country's aristocracy.
And that's why guests headed to this fascinating city, with its tangle of historic buildings and very few high-rises, to take in the splendour of Cartier's newest high jewellery collection, Beautés du Monde, translating as ‘beauties of the world’.
Madrid, home to royal palaces dating back to the 16th century and art galleries such as The Prado, which houses an incredible collection that includes exquisite artworks by El
