CARTIER RETRO SAPPHIRE, DIAMOND AND GOLD 'GAS PIPE' BRACELET

World War II dramatically affected the way jewelry houses approached their creations. Rather than disregarding contemporary events, firms like Cartier embraced the times and the newly popular machine and military-like motifs permeating fashion and culture. Mirroring the wartime efforts and rapid advancements in military technology, jewelry began to include elements resembling tanks and utilitarian equipment, including gas pipes. Created by interlocking gold strips creating a flexible and hollow tubular chain, the new medium was used in 1940s and immediately invokes the larger global events of the time.