Cartier unveiled its latest high jewellery collection, Le Chœur des Pierres, in the picturesque seaside town of Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera on Wednesday. International editors and celebrities including Shu Qi, Zoe Saldaña and Tilda Swinton explored the range at a chateau filled with modern artworks from the likes of Damien Hirst, Yves Klein and Anselm Kiefer set within an estate dating back to the 17th century.

The name of the collection, which features more than 150 unique pieces in this first chapter, is a play on words. Meaning literally “the chorus of stones” in English, it can also be read as “the heart of stones” because the French words chœur (chorus) and cœur (heart) sound the same.

As its moniker suggests, Le Chœur des Pierres is a celebration of the power of stones. Everything begins with the stones at Cartier, where each creation – from a panther motif necklace to an abstract, geometric bracelet – is meant to serve the stones and highlight their beauty.

Envisioned as an orchestra in which the gems sing in harmony with one another and Cartier acts as conductor, the collection reflects the maison’s commitment to sourcing the best and rarest stones from around the world – from extremely rare coloured diamonds to vivid blue sapphires, fiery red rubies and deep green emeralds.

Just like the members of an orchestra, Cartier’s gemologists, designers, jewellers, setters and polishers work in unison to bring precious gems to life, always staying true to the maison’s rich heritage of timeless designs that are instantly recognisable as Cartier.

In the same way, the stones are also part of an ensemble, which is why pairing them with one another is akin to an art. Take Cartier’s signature Tutti Frutti motif, where sapphires, rubies and emeralds in different cuts create a tapestry of hues – or “a chorus of colours”, as the maison puts it.

The necklace Tutti Kanya from Le Chœur des Pierres features as its centrepiece a stunning 30.33-carat engraved emerald from Zambia, surrounded by flowers, leaves and berries made of rubies, sapphires and emeralds.

The Amberis ring is set with an extremely rare cognac-coloured diamond weighing 7.09 carats. The warm hue of the cognac diamond complements the white and brown diamonds that embellish the shank of the ring while also blending with the wearer’s skin tones.

Colours reign supreme in the collection, but one of the most striking pieces is Tellura, a necklace set with 30 diamonds of different shapes suspended from a moving composition of curlicue motifs in white gold. It is a perfect example of Cartier’s approach to high jewellery: modern and contemporary rather than intimidating and forbidding. You can easily picture a young woman wearing Tellura with a white T-shirt and jeans, and you’d hardly notice she’s sporting a one-of-a-kind necklace that is a true masterpiece.

As always at Cartier, the menagerie that has become synonymous with the house returns in full force. The Haryma necklace evokes a tiger’s stripes, with the animal itself at its centre – almost ready to pounce – stalking down a “staircase” of five topazes. “I like that this piece, even though it makes a statement, is not heavy or intense but really delicate and it still has a strong presence, which is great,” said Saldaña, who wore it at the event.

The panther, Cartier’s signature beast, takes centre stage in Panthère Kentia. Perched on a stunning 50.13-carat cabochon-cut Ceylon sapphire, the animal looks docile and gentle, her soft mane dotted with custom-cut onyx stones.

Orange and white diamonds shine in the chicest piece from the range: Pyra. A reinterpretation of an early 20th century tiara, the earring is meant to evoke raindrops scattered on the wearer’s hair. It can also be worn as a brooch or a tiara, showcasing Cartier’s tradition of making its creations transformable and modular.

High jewellery is a very rarefied and niche segment of the industry: each creation is unique and can take years to make. The Tutti Pixel necklace, for instance, took about 4,500 hours and three years of work, according to Alexa Abitbol, director of high jewellery manufacture at Cartier. Leaf-shaped sapphires, emeralds and rubies are set against diamonds in a square pattern, which gives the necklace “a pixelated effect”, said Abitbol at the launch. “It was very hard to make because it’s very fluid and articulate,” she explained.