Animal designs: Panther jewelry

According to Elise B. Misiorowski, writing in the March 1998 issue of Professional Jeweler Magazine, the use of realistic representation of panthers in fine jewelry is a 20th Century innovation. In 1948 the Duke of Windsor commissioned Cartier to make a panther brooch for the Duchess of Windsor. The panther designs produced by Cartier and the celebrity of the patrons created a popular sensation, and panther and other big cat designs were favored for a time. A resurgence of panther popularity occurred in the 1980s.

"The panther is now a metaphor for the contemporary woman; sensual and self-assured with an underlying element of danger, hinting that care should be used in handling this exotic creature."

Photos of these various vintage jewelry pieces are difficult to locate, but a selection of contemporary panther jewelry designs may be viewed here: Panther jewelry.