Cartier Juste un Clou, whose leitmotiv was … a nail.
Cartier Juste un Clou. It’s just a nail. Only gold. The famous French jeweler has renewed his collection of jewelry nails. The project “Juste un Clou” premiered in the seventies of the last century and is again in Cartier’s offer. Bracelets and rings are made of pure 18K white, pink and yellow gold. For connoisseurs of the most exclusive nails, versions decorated with diamonds have been prepared.
It’s just a nail
Let’s move to 1917 when Marcel Duchamp presented a very important lesson to the world – by deciding to display a urinal signed with the name and surname, he showed that, in principle, an ordinary object can become an art. Decades later, Andy Warhol in his atelier, called The Factory, began to mass-produce images of Campbell soup cans and Brillo Box packaging, creating a trend that presented art with a pinch of salt – pop art.
In the 70s, dear Magpie, society turned away from elitism. Teenagers listen to Jimmy Hendrix’s songs, wear flowers in their hair and blouses that reveal their bellies. It was then that Cartier, a brand previously associated with luxury watches and diamonds purchased by the French elite, London gentlemen, and wealthy Maharajas, introduced Juste un Clou to its collection – jewelry aimed at young, rebellious people.
The bracelet and the ring introduced to the market in 1971 are supposed to imitate a bent nail! This is also the name of the collection – “It’s just a nail.” Cartier designers, seeing the changes taking place in society, decide to design jewelry that will fit in with the pop culture, while maintaining its luxurious character – contrary to appearances, this bracelet is not only a nail. 2,352 diamonds differ from an ordinary object. These are the stones of the most expensive Juste un Clou model.
Contrary to the jewelry so far designed by a luxury jewelry house, Juste un Clou is strict and massive, completely unlike colorful brooches and intricate Cartier necklaces. However, this is why the collection becomes an icon – because it is intriguing and shows that even an ordinary object can become an object of desire – the brand advertises it under the slogan “When the ordinary becomes precious”.
Youth, fun, and the moment
How did it happen that the model introduced over 40 years ago is still a sales hit? All thanks to a well-thought-out brand strategy and continuous product refreshment. Cartier’s success was that they knew perfectly well to which audience they should target their jewelry – young artists, musicians, and celebrities, whom we now call it girls and it boys, showed that they did not part with bracelets worth thousands of dollars. The nail has become a synonym of rebellion and belonging to the most popular social class. The same is also true today. Whether Kylie Jenner is going to a party or walking the dog, Cartier Juste un Clou sparkles on her wrist.
