Diamonds are a girl's best friend, and it appears the NGV International is quite fond of them too, with the world-class gallery announcing its blockbuster 2026 Winter Masterpieces exhibition will chart the evolution and artistic legacy of revered jewellery house, Cartier.
That's right – a glittering collection of more than 300 gorgeous jewels, tiaras, necklaces, brooches, timepieces and even design drawings will be on display from June 12, 2026, direct from London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. Cartier is an exclusive Melbourne event, and the largest exhibition the brand has ever staged in the country – with many of the pieces having never even travelled to Australia before.
The dazzling centrepiece of the exhibition will be the presentation of more than 20 showstopping tiaras. These are undoubtedly some of Cartier's most celebrated creations, and have been worn by the likes of everyone from Clementine Churchill at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II to Rihanna on the cover W Magazine. Other notable items include a diamond and ruby-encrusted necklace that belonged to Elizabeth Taylor; a diamond rose-shaped brooch worn by Princess Margaret; and multiple necklaces owned by opera singer (and Melbourne local) Dame Nellie Melba.
There will be sparkling examples of rubies, emeralds and blue sapphires, along with a selection of Cartier’s iconic tutti frutti jewels. A section of the exhibition will be dedicated to highlighting the brand's groundbreaking innovation in watchmaking, and there will also be modern pieces crafted using opals from Lightening Ridge.
But the exhibition will dive beyond the diamonds, too, exploring how brothers Louis, Pierre and Jacques Cartier grew the business their grandfather first established in 1847 and transformed it into the global powerhouse brand the world knows today. From the development of signature Cartier designs like the 'Garland-style' jewels to expanding the client base to include royalty, aristocracy and A-list celebrities, the history is just as rich as the jewels are.
“Cartier are world-renowned for their excellence in jewellery and timepiece design and innovation – a reputation fostered by the three entrepreneurial brothers Pierre, Louis and Jacques Cartier,” said director of the NGV, Tony Ellwood AM. “This exhibition tells the story of how they transformed their grandfather’s jewellery business into one of the most prestigious international jewellery houses with a clientele including royalty, high society and movie stars.”
Cartier will run from June 12, 2026, to October 4, 2026. To find out more, head to the website.
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