Nephrite, white enamel, old-, single-, baguette- and rose-cut diamonds, the lid set with a clock, dial signed Cartier, top-winding manual movement signed E.W. & C. Co. Inc. (European Watch & Clock Co. Inc.), the case opening to reveal a mirror and two compartments

Size/Dimensions: 10.0 x 5.0 x 1.8 cm
Gross Weight: 249.8 grams

Gloria Guinness (1912-1980);
Thence by descent

This unusual Cartier nephrite and diamond case was a gift from Loel Guinness (1906-1988) to his wife Gloria Guinness (1912-1980).

Loel Guinness descended from Guinness brewery's founder Arthur Guinness (1725-1803) and was a prominent Member of Parliament, businessman and philanthropist who also served in The Royal Auxiliary Air Force and fought as a fighter pilot at The Battle of Britain during the Second World War.

In 1951 he married the Mexican socialite and fashion icon Gloria Guinness, previously Gloria von Fürstenberg, née Rubio y Alatorre.

Gloria Guinness is considered one of the most elegant and stylish women of all time and was dressed by iconic 20th century fashion designers such as Cristóbal Balenciaga, Christian Dior, Chanel, Hubert de Givenchy and Yves Saint Laurent.

She was photographed for Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Women's Wear Daily by Cecil Beaton, Richard Avedon, John Rawlings, Toni Frissell, Horst P. Horst, Slim Aarons and Henry Clarke, and appeared on the International Best Dressed List from 1959 through 1963, before being instated to its Hall of Fame in 1964.

The accompanying image shows a portrait of Gloria Guinness wearing a black capsleeve dress and black velvet Balenciaga hat in her Waldorf Towers suite © Getty Images

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