Born in Álamos, Sonora, María Félix became one of the most famous actresses of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema that began in the 1940s.

Her spectacular beauty, elegant bearing, and strong personality won her the symbolic title “La Doña” and she inspired Mexican and international artists alike, including Agustín Lara and Diego Rivera.

Félix favored the taste and style of Maison Cartier in her passion for jewelry. Between 1959 and 1976, María Félix acquired iconic pieces: panther brooches and bracelets, coral pieces, necklaces made of interlocking shells, and a series of regal pieces with reptile motifs. She commissioned special pieces that dialogued with her strong personality.

The Serpent and Crocodiles necklaces represented a major technical challenge for the workshops in articulating the pieces with natural movements. “La Doña” wore them throughout most of her life with pride and elegance, always accrediting the expertise of the Maison Cartier.

VITRINE 29

In 1975, María Félix commissioned the Crocodile necklace. Legend has it that she brought a baby crocodile to Cartier’s workshops, asking for an exact replica that would imitate its movement. The final design was two interwoven reptiles, one set with fancy intense yellow diamonds and the other with emeralds. This pair —whose feet, tails, and heads are articulated— becomes two stunningly realistic brooches. The Doña referred to her Cartier reptiles, singular creations in the Maison’s history, as “my animals.”

Crocodile necklace
Cartier Paris, special order, 1975
Gold, diamonds, emeralds, rubies

Entirely articulated, the two crocodiles can be worn separately as brooches. When worn around the neck as a necklace, the feet can be replaced by clawless paws that will not irritate the skin.

Provenance:
María Félix
The actress María Félix (1914-2002), well-known in Mexico and France for films such as Emilio Fernandez’s Enamorada (1946), Jean Renoir’s French Cancan (1955), and Luis Buñuel’s Fever rises in El Pao (1959), was a true reptile lover and had a fondness for imposing jewelry. The Mexican diva and archetypal Latin femme fatale carried on her acting career until the late 1960s.

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María Félix was a loyal client of Cartier. As well as the special commissions, she regularly acquired pieces from the Maison’s stock. Her husband, Alex Berger, nicknamed Félix “Puma Pumita” which led “La Doña” to have a certain attraction to feline designs. Appearing in public events adorned with the celebrated Cartier brooches and brace- lets of panthers, her jewelry was in- variably the topic of conversation.

Panther-patterned necklace
Cartier, 1991
Yellow gold, white gold

Panther-patterned bracelet
Cartier, 1990
Yellow gold, white gold

Necklace / earrings
Cartier, 2019
White gold, diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, dendritic opal, onyx

The emerald drops can be detached from the necklace and worn as earrings.

Private collection

Panther Ring
Cartier Paris, 1976
Platinum, diamonds, emeralds (eyes), onyx (spots, nose)

Double panther head bangle
Cartier Paris, 1989
Platinum, white gold, diamonds, emeralds (eyes), onyx (spots and noses)

The heads swivel to open and close the bangle. Mexican actress María Félix owned a similar piece.

Panther brooch
Cartier Paris, 1973
Platinum, white gold, diamonds, emeralds (eyes), onyx (nose and spots)

The panther’s legs and tail are articulated.

Mexican actress María Félix owned a similar piece.

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Tiger parure
Cartier Paris 1986-1987

Tiger necklace and brooch
Cartier Paris, 1986
Gold, diamonds, emeralds (eyes), onyx (stripes and nose)

The tiger’s legs and tail are articulated, the head swivels. Necklace and brooch can be worn separately.

Pair of Tiger Creole earclips
Cartier Paris, 1987
Gold, diamonds, onyx (stripes)

Double tiger head bangle
Cartier, 1989
Gold, emeralds (eyes), onyx (noses), lacquer

The heads swivel to open and close the bangle.

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Snake pair of ear clips
Cartier Paris, special order, 1971
Yellow gold, pink gold, rubies, diamonds (eyes), enamel

Provenance:
María Félix

Belt
Cartier Paris, special order, 1976
7 gold coins of 50 Mexican pesos, 6 gold coins of 20 Mexican pesos, black suede, leather lining

Provenance: María Félix

Ear clips
Cartier Paris 1967, altered 1976
Gold, emeralds

Provenance:
María Félix
Private collection

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María Félix had a passion for reptiles. In 1968, she commissioned the im- posing Snake necklace from Cartier. The articulated structure of this piece is made from platinum combined with white and yellow gold and diamonds. Densely set, these diamonds represent individual scales and shine in the light like the skin of a live serpent. The necklace drapes down the neckline, with the snake’s head figuratively entwining with its tail.

Snake necklace
Cartier Paris, special order, 1968
Platinum, white gold, yellow gold, diamonds, emeralds (eyes), enamel

Provenance: María Félix