Photo courtesy of Cartier 

PARIS (AFP).- From the royal diadem worn by Kate Middleton at her wedding to an outsized maharaja's necklace, hundreds of glimmering treasures went on show this week in a major Paris exhibit on Cartier.

"Jeweller of Kings and King of Jewellers" was how King Edward VII dubbed the house, half a century after Louis-Francois Cartier founded what would become the world's largest jeweller in 1847.

It was certainly to Cartier that the Maharaja of Patiala turned when he travelled to France early last century from India's Punjab laden with treasure.

"He arrived in Paris in 1928 with chests packed full of antique jewels and asked Cartier to rework them in a modern style," the curator of the Cartier collection Pascale Lepeu told AFP.

The result, one of the pieces on display: a necklace of five diamond-studded chains large enough to cover his whole chest.

The show running until February 16 under the famous glass roof of the Grand Palais exhibition hall is the largest ever devoted to Cartier.

With items dating from the 19th century to the 1970s, it highlights the styles that influenced the house over the years, from Marie-Antoinette to the Art Deco movement, to Russian, Indian and Chinese trends.

Most of the 600 pieces on show belong to the house, which decided in the mid-1980s to start buying back historic pieces, at auction or from antique dealers.

It tracked down the maharaja's necklace in 1998. Others are high-profile loans, including from Queen Elizabeth II who made available the tiara Cartier created in 1936 for the British royal family, which the queen lent to Prince William's bride for their wedding last year. Known as the "Halo" and set with 739 brilliant and 149 baton diamonds, it was bought by George VI before his coronation for the Duchess of York, now the Queen Mother, who presented it to Elizabeth on her 18th birthday.

Also on loan from the queen, an exceptional 23.6 carat pink diamond, gifted to Elizabeth for her wedding and set into a flower-shaped brooch by Cartier.

And 18 of Cartier's so-called "Mystery Clocks" -- whose diamond hands appear to float in thin air -- have been brought together for the first time for the exhibit. "These are the essence of Cartier," Lepeu said.

The first was created in 1912, at a time when it took a year to build just one. A 'golden age' for Cartier Grace Kelly's diamond engagement ring is on show alongside the extravagant jewels of the Mexican actress Maria Felix, such as a snake necklace made from 2,473 diamonds and emeralds.

The show closes with an example of Cartier's iconic panther, a majestic creature of platinum, gold and diamonds mounted on a smooth sapphire.

"We are experiencing a golden age," Cartier's chairman Stanislas de Quercize told AFP.

"We have never created as much, and demand is high from all around the world."

Among the leading symbols of French luxury, with more than 300 stores worldwide including its Paris flagship on Rue de la Paix, Cartier enjoyed sales of four billion euros (more than $5 billion) in 2012 and could hit five billion euros this year.

China has accounted for the lion's share of its growth in the past decade, today accounting for up to a third of turnover.

Cartier remained in family hands until 1964, with its founder's grandson Louis -- a passionate watchmaker -- taking the jewellery firm into watchmaking between the wars.

Today Cartier is owned by the Swiss luxury group Richemont alongside the likes of Van Cleef & Arpels.

Business aside, for the head of France's national museums Jean-Paul Cluzel, Cartier is an integral part of French heritage. "The show is not about promoting a brand, but about analysing a style as seen by heritage experts and art historians," he writes in the show catalogue. © 1994-2013 Agence France-Presse 

Bracelet. Cartier Paris, 1925. Platinum. Round old- and single-cut diamonds. Leaf-shaped carved sapphires and rubies. Emerald beads studded with collet-set diamonds, emerald cabochons, Onyx beads (berries), Black enamel. Provenance: Mrs. Cole Porter. Photo: N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier

The Cartier Halo tiara worn by Kate Middleton. Photo By © Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2013

Necklace. Cartier Paris, special order, 1928. Platinum, old-cut and rose-cut diamonds (chains and links), one cushion-shaped yellow zirconia, four white zirconias, thirteen white topazes, two synthetic rubies, one smoky quartz , one citrine. Created for Sir Bhupindra Singh, Maharajah of Patiala. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier

Tank Wristwatch. Cartier Paris, 1920. Platinum, gold. One sapphire cabochon. Leather strap. Round LeCoultre caliber 119 movement, Côtes de Genève decoration, rhodiumized. 8 adjustments, 19 jewels, Swiss lever escapement, bimetallic balance, Breguet balance spring. This particularly rare timepiece is one of the very first Tank created by Cartier. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier

 Hair Ornament, Cartier Paris, 1902. Platinum. Old- and rose-cut diamonds. Millegrain setting. Provenance: Mrs. William Field. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier

 Scroll Tiara, Cartier Paris, 1910. Platinum. One cushion-shaped diamond, round old-cut diamonds. Millegrain setting. Sold to Elizabeth, Queen of the Belgians (1876-1965). N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier

Santos-Dumon Wristwatch, Cartier Paris, 1912. Yellow gold. One sapphire cabochon. Leather strap. Round LeCoultre caliber 126 movement, Côtes de Genève decoration, rhodiumized, 8 adjustments, 18 jewels, Swiss lever escapement, bimetallic balance, Breguet balance spring. This particularly rare timepiece is one of the very first Santos created by Cartier. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier 

Brooch, Cartier Paris, 1913. Platinum, round old-cut diamonds, one triangular beveled 11.90 carat emerald, emerald cabochons and drop-shaped emeralds, natural pearls, onyx. This brooch was exhibited in the Collection of Jewels Created by Messrs Cartier from the Hindoo, Persian, Arab, Russian and Chinese arts at Cartier New York in November 1913. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

 Large Portique Mystery Clock, Cartier Paris, 1923. Cartier Paris, 1923. Yellow gold, platinum, rock crystal, rose-cut diamonds, onyx, coral cabochons, black enamel. Square, 8-day double-barrel movement, gold-plated, 13 jewels, bimetallic balance, Breguet balance spring. Transmission axle in rock-crystal crossbar masked by coral cabochon. Billiken figure removable to provide access to the movement. Arbor for winding movement and setting hands. This clock was the first in a series of 6 in the form of a Shinto “shrine gate” (portique), all different and all made by Cartier between 1923 and 1925. Sold to Mrs. H.F. McCormick (Ganna Walska). N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Chimera Bangle, Cartier Paris, 1928. Gold, platinum. Cushion-shaped, pear-, single- and baguette-cut diamonds. Two fluted emerald beads, one carved emerald, buff-top emeralds and emerald cabochons. Two leaf-shaped carved sapphires, sapphire cabochons and buff-top sapphires. Carved coral. Green, blue and black enamel. The eyes are represented by inverted cushion-shaped diamonds. The bracelet opens by twisting one of the two dragon heads. This bangle is a blend of Indian and Chinese traditions — produced in various materials, the Chimera bracelet became a great Cartier classic. Provenance: Ganna Walska. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Panther Vanity Case, Cartier Paris, 1928. Yellow gold, platinum. Black enamel. Rose- and baguette-cut diamonds. Engraved emeralds and green enamel (cypress), two square-cut emeralds. Rubies (trunk), calibrated and faceted rubies (earth). Onyx cabochons (panther). The interior fitted with a mirror, a lipstick, a covered powder compartment, and a cigarette compartment with gold openwork retaining clip. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Bracelet, Cartier Paris, 1930. Platinum. Baguette-, round old- and single-cut diamonds. Thirty rock crystal half-disks and sixty rock crystal beads. Platinum. Round old- and single-cut diamonds. Forty-seven rock crystal half-disks. Sold to Gloria Swanson, American actress (1897-1983). N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Flamingo Brooch, Cartier Paris, special order, 1940. Platinum, yellow gold. Brilliant-cut diamonds. Calibré-cut emeralds, sapphires and rubies. Sapphire cabochons. One citrine. Sold to the Duke of Windsor. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Bird Brooch, Cartier Paris, special order, 1948. Platinum, white gold. One emerald-cut diamond of 2.76 carats. Two square-cut diamonds of 2.35 and 1.29 carats. Respectively 991 baguette-, brilliant- and fancy-cut diamonds weighing 83.89 carats in total. The exceptional dimensions (20.20 cm long, weighing 156.45 g) make this brooch a unique post-war piece of high jewelry. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Panther Clip Brooch, Cartier Paris, 1949. Platinum, white gold. Single-cut diamonds. Two pear-shaped yellow diamonds (eyes). One 152.35-carat Kashmir sapphire cabochon. Sapphire cabochons (spots). This panther is the second three-dimensional example that Cartier made for the Duchess of Windsor (the first one surmounted an emerald cabochon). Sold to the Duchess of Windsor (1896–1986). N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Palm-Tree Clip Brooch, Cartier Paris, special order, 1957. Platinum, white gold. Brilliant- and baguette-cut diamonds. Seven cushion-shaped Burmese rubies, weighing 23.10 carats in total. The trunk of this palm-tree is articulated. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Tiger Clip Brooch, Cartier Paris, 1957. Yellow gold. Single- and brilliant-cut diamonds ranging from fancy intense yellow to near colorless. Marquise-shaped emeralds (eyes). Fancy-shaped onyx (stripes). This piece is articulated. Sold to Barbara Hutton. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Crocodile Necklace, Cartier Paris, special order, 1975. Gold, 1 023 brilliant-cut fancy intense yellow diamonds, weighing 60.02 carats in total. Two navette-shaped emerald cabochons (eyes), 1 060 emeralds, weighing 66.86 carats in total. Two ruby cabochons (eyes). Entirely articulated, the two crocodiles can be worn separately as brooches. Made as a special order for María Félix. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Diadem, Cartier Paris, 1907. For her marriage to Prince George of Greece and Denmark in 1907, Princess Marie Bonaparte ordered this diadem from Cartier, compose of olive leaves in diamonds and emeralds. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Tiara, Cartier Paris, 1914. Produced by Cartier Paris in 1914, this audacious avant-garde piece is a magnificent example of the Art Deco stylization. Inspired by the shape of the Russian kokoshnik tiaras, this platinum pieces is set with old-cut round diamonds, 15 natural pearls, calibrated and fancy-shaped onyx and black enamel. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Bandeau, Cartier Paris, order of 1923. Composed of cushion-cut diamonds and round old-cut diamonds. Mounted on platinum, this bandeau can be disassembled to form two bracelets. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Tiara, Cartier London, 1937. Produced by Cartier London in 1937, this tiara is composed of yellow gold, platinum, old- and baguette-cut round diamonds, one large emerald-cut octagonal citrine of 62.35 carats as well as calibrated baguette-cut citrines and one hexagonal citrine. The central motif can be detached from the tiara and worn as a brooch, pointing downward. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Mystery Clock with Single Axle, Cartier Paris, 1927. Yellow gold, platinum, rock crystal, obsidian (base), ebonite (platform), rose-cut diamonds, onyx, coral, black enamel. Rectangular 8-day movement, gold-plated, 13 jewels, Swiss lever escapement, bimetallic balance, Breguet balance spring. Provenance: Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain, wife of Alphonse XIII. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Chimera Mystery Clock, Cartier New York, 1926. Yellow gold, platinum, citrine (dial), agate (chimera), nephrite (waves), rose-cut diamonds, natural pearls, emerald cabochons, onyx, coral, red and black enamel. Rectangular 8-day movement, gold-plated, 15 jewels, bimetallic balance, Breguet balance spring. The agate chimera, of Chinese origin, dates from the 19th century. This mystery clock was the 6th in a series of 12 that featured animals or figurines, made between 1922 and 1931, partly inspired by Louis XV and Louis XVI clocks in which the clock was set on the back of an animal. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

1921, Mystery clock with single axle. The first mystery clocks appeared in 1912. They were “mysterious” because their platinum and diamond hands seem to float within the clock’s immaculate rock crystal casing, seemingly unconnected to any mechanism. The hands were attached to two glass discs, each fitted into a metal border edged with gear teeth. The movement, which was generally housed in the clock base, turned the two discs – one at the speed of the minute hand and the other at the speed of the hour hand. The metal borders of the discs were hidden in the hour circle. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Majestic Hindu Necklace, Cartier Paris, commissioned in 1936 by Daisy Fellowes and transformed in 1963. The piece boasts different cuts of sapphires, rubies and emeralds on a platinum and white gold base. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Panther Cuff, Cartier Paris, 1958, in platinum, white gold, diamonds, sapphire cabochons, marquise-cut emeralds and onyx. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.

Brooch, special order New York 1925, made from platinum with a cushion-cut diamond of 3.83 carats, a pear-shaped diamond, a round-cut diamond, a cabochon emerald of 15.12 carats, coral and black lacquer. Order made using the client’s stones. Collection Cartier. N. Welsh, Collection Cartier, Copyright Cartier.