Cartier at the Victoria & Albert Museum

One can dress this up any way you want. But in short this is high end bling. I had really only associated Cartier with art deco jewellery, but they were actually formed in the 19th century. And they encompassed a great many styles. But nothing seems understated. This displayed an orgy of gems. 

Cartier went for opulence. If you owned this sort of stuff you were showing off great wealth. These were jewels for royalty and aristocracy when they were in their last days of power, soon to be replaced by the more modern plutocrats, and film stars.

While it is very much bling, it is also all made with tremendous quality. i have never seen so many diamonds in one place, but they were also used to magnificent effect (and very well lit, sometimes with moving lights to maximise the shimmering effect that would have existed if they were being worn.

They looked around the world for inspiration - Islamic...

Egyptian

Japanese - these are wisteria brooches 

Chinese

A lot were made for the Indian market - the maharajahs were especially fond of bling before Indian independence

Big cats were a theme

Some very modern pieces, this one incorporating black pearls

Who doesn't like a penguin

Tutti Fruiti jewellery maxing out on colour - rubies, emeralds and sapphires

Mystery clocks where the hands don't appear to be attached to anything at all

All this was exhibited in the V&A's underground exhibition space with  its really cool staircase

Of course the museum has older designs for a staircase, notably the ceramic staircase.

The silver galleries

And they also have a permanent jewellery collection which is worth looking at for the development of bling from 1500BC to the modern day