More than a century after renowned jeweller Jacques Cartier famously visited Bahrain, his great-granddaughter has arrived in the kingdom and received a rousing welcome.
Exactly 110 years after Mr Cartier’s historic visit to Bahrain in 1912, Francesca Cartier Brickell took part in Jewellery Arabia 2022 which opened on Tuesday at Exhibition World Bahrain.
She gave a lecture on Cartier’s connections to Bahrain and the Gulf, and significant events in his life and signed her famous book The Cartiers: Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewellery Empire, which was lapped up by visitors.
“It’s an honour to be here and I’ve wanted to do this for a long time and it’s wonderful to now have the opportunity,” she said.
“I discovered a trunk of letters in my grandfather’s cellar about 10 years ago and in that were the diaries of my great-grandfather.
“In his diaries, he talked about the places he visited, the food he ate and the people he met. He not only wrote about the gems he bought, but also documented the whole experience, which really blew his mind.
“It wasn’t just the pearls; it was about the scenery he saw, the style of architecture and the people he met. So it’s so exciting for me – having read those diaries from a 100 years ago – to actually experience this myself.
“The descendants of so many people he met still work in the pearl trade and that’s super exciting.
“It’s been unbelievable and I’ve had such an amazing welcome and I feel very lucky to be here.”
She added that her book – which includes letters and stories passed down from generations about the family – was very special and was received ‘incredibly by people in Bahrain’.
She said the process of writing was ‘solitary’, but sharing the family’s story was an amazing opportunity.
“There are so many amazing pearl stories in Cartier’s history and it’s incredible to see the changing fashions of pearls over time,” she added.
“My great-grandfather Jacques Cartier – who was a gemstone expert – always said the best in the world were from this region.
“To actually be able to share the history – with people who are connected to the history – is really special.”
Ms Cartier Brickell was hosted by the Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones (Danat).
Jewellery Arabia 2022 continues until Saturday at Exhibition World Bahrain in Sakhir.
reem@gdnmedia.bh
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