How the nail became a jewelry sensation thanks to Cartier: quite a story!
A nail as a source of inspiration for creating a piece of jewelry? Most people from another planet could hardly be blamed for thinking it's a crazy idea. But for us Earthlings, who are familiar with Cartier's Juste un Clou jewelry, we know the real story. Undoubtedly, fashion can take unexpected turns. The Juste un Clou bracelets are the embodiment of this.
VIEW OUR JUSTE UN CLOU JEWELRY
History of Juste un Clou jewelry
It was in 1971 that the Roman jeweler Aldo Cipullo, an expatriate in New York, designed a nail-shaped bracelet. Created in the United States, this product was christened the Nail bracelet. At the time, it did not achieve extraordinary success. Indeed, this piece of jewelry lived in the shadow of another of his creations: the mega-popular Cartier Love bracelet, launched in 1969.
Cipullo was well known in the New York nightlife scene. He could regularly be seen dancing on the dance floors of the Big Apple alongside Andy Warhol and Liza Minnelli. Initially employed by Tiffany and other houses, Aldo Cipullo joined Cartier in the 1960s to benefit from greater creative freedom. For the French house, this hiring would be a bullseye.
Juste un Clou jewelry is reborn in 2012
Until about ten years ago, pieces from Cartier's Juste un Clou collections were primarily antique jewelry. But on the occasion of Cartier's 165th anniversary, the French house decided to release a new collection. This was in 2012. The release of these 21st-century Juste un Clou jewels coincided with an exhibition dedicated to Cipullo's work and 1970s New York fashion.
For these new nail-inspired jewelry pieces, Cartier remained true to Cipullo's idea while innovating. The Juste un Clou bracelets and rings are now available in yellow, rose, and white gold. Some creations can also be set with diamonds, either on the sides of the nail head or in the notches of the tip.
Cartier's Juste un Clou earrings and necklaces appear in 2017
The second iteration of the collection met with broader success than the original. So much so that in 2017, Cartier "drove the point home" by now offering earrings and necklaces inspired by this hardware item. Almost 50 years later, Juste un Clou jewelry has risen to the level of the Love collection in terms of popularity. This proves Cipullo's pioneering role.
Aldo Cipullo, a designer ahead of his time
Cipullo may not be as famous as fashion's most illustrious surrealist, Elsa Schiaparelli. But in terms of timelessness, he has nothing to envy her, quite the opposite. How could he have anticipated fashion trends decades in advance in the 1970s? Probably because he was able to combine surrealism and minimalism. Juste un Clou could have been created in the 18th century, yesterday, or in 100 years: it is the timeless jewel par excellence. In this respect, Cipullo's work is reminiscent of Meret Oppenheim's.
