The narrative power of jewellery on screen and stage

The early 20th century offers vivid examples of this shift. Anna May Wong in her tiara in Pavement Butterfly (1928), Jean Harlow in Dinner at Eight (1933) with gloves covered in diamonds, all moments when jewellery assumed the role of a visual statement. In 1932, Gabrielle Chanel introduced her Bijoux de Diamants collection, not in an aristocratic drawing room, but through the idea of a woman actively wearing jewellery to express her beliefs. The versatile diamond designs, featuring stars and celestial motifs, handed the power of self-expression to women, a watershed moment.

Two decades later, on screen in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), Marilyn Monroe performed “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” a scene that cemented Monroe’s personal symbolism while confirming jewellery’s potential to speak, evoke emotion and leave a lasting impression.

Although diamonds remain a constant in constructing female icons on screen, cinema is not confined to dazzling light. Pearls, sapphires, onyx, rubies and aquamarines have each taken their turn commanding attention in iconic frames. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) with its white pearl necklace; Pretty Woman (1990) with a ruby necklace signalling a shift in women’s identity; and Titanic (1997), where the heart-shaped sapphire, the “Heart of the Ocean”, is more than a piece of jewellery, bearing witness to love, social constraints, and moments that span centuries.

Behind every cinematic design lies a dialogue between visual arts and craftsmanship. The “Heart of the Ocean” was crafted specifically for the film by Asprey & Garrard, using a deep blue tanzanite rather than a genuine sapphire or diamond, yet it became a cultural icon for generations. Similarly, The Great Gatsby (2013) exemplifies the deep collaboration between fashion and cinema, as Tiffany & Co. revived the 1920s Ziegfeld collection to capture the glitz and glamour of the era. Pearls, hand-cut diamonds, aquamarines and onyx converge to embody Daisy Buchanan, representing a complex and determined spirit.

Entering the 21st century, the relationship between jewellery and cinema has taken on a more psychological dimension. Van Cleef & Arpels collaborated with Carol (2015) to design a cuff bracelet for Cate Blanchett’s character. The piece is at once formal and suggestive of the emotional constraints of a forbidden relationship, demonstrating the storytelling power of jewellery in modern film.

Beyond the silver screen, jewellery also finds its stage on the red carpet, where art and real life intersect. Since 1998, when it became the official partner of the Cannes Film Festival, Chopard has created a performance space for Haute Joaillerie with its Red Carpet collection, designed specifically for the event. Amid the flashes and countless elaborate creations, women appear not only as stars, but as figures of their own era, carrying in their gaze both history and promise.

From the early decades of the 20th century, many jewellers have explored the stage. In cinema, jewellery shapes characters and tells the story of its time; on stage, the focus shifts to the interplay of light, movement and presence, drawing makers into a silent dialogue. Like a dance demanding precision under the audience’s eyes, a piece of jewellery must be carefully considered in structure, weight and mobility, so that it moves seamlessly with the performance rather than interrupting it.

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In the quest for balance, Chanel is one of the brands that approaches the world of ballet with aesthetic intuition and rare understanding. The Plume de Chanel collection, launched in 2024, is tangible proof. Inspired by the feather motif, an icon Gabrielle Chanel has used since 1910, the collection is a structural experiment: asymmetrical, unconventional, each piece resembling an ongoing movement rather than a fixed form. On the wearer’s body, the jewellery ceases to be static, moving with each turn and glide, as if ballet itself provides the geometric axis for design.

It is also impossible to overlook Van Cleef & Arpels, a brand with a profound and enduring connection to dance. From the friendship between Claude Arpels and choreographer George Balanchine, which began in 1967, to the Ballet Précieux collection, Van Cleef & Arpels captures more than the dancer’s form with a pin or pendant; it captures the dance itself. Their artisans do more than set stones; they choreograph movement. Diamonds, rubies and emeralds are arranged like frozen gestures, yet never lose their energy, continuing to dance even while at rest on the wearer’s body.

Jewellery’s engagement with the stage extends beyond ballet, as music, dance and rhythm increasingly inform design language. Chaumet’s Chaumet en Scène collection, launched in 2024, exemplifies this approach. Drawing on a legacy of collaborations with artists since the 19th century, Chaumet not only captures the beauty of movement but structures it as a three-act narrative: “Setting the Tempo”, “Leading the Dance” and “As If By Magic”. Each act is expressed through precious stones: the deep blue of sapphire, the light dancing off diamonds, and the interplay of emeralds, sapphires and white stones.

Today, the stage remains fertile ground where jewellers discover aesthetic resonance and endless design possibilities. Beyond ballet or opera, contemporary performing arts from interactive theatre and experimental dance to multimedia performances open new realms of expression. What matters is not the recreation of past glories, but how precious stones, guided by the hands of artisans, continue to “speak” through performance, on the wearer’s body, under the ever-illuminating stage lights.

Article published from the original article in Tatler Vietnam, July 2025

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