The snap of the blue velvet box as Edward teases Vivian in her gown. The ‘Heart of the Ocean’ winking in the low light as tensions crescendo between Jack and Rose. The Duke’s glimmering collar acting as a leash on a tortured Satine. 

Sometimes, in film, jewellery is just jewellery. But sometimes, in those rare moments of directorial poetry, jewellery can be a character of its own—both visually, elevating the character or at times betraying them, or as a plot device, a sparkling diamond symbolising an olive branch or a shackle.

Over the years, there have been dozens of films that have cast sparkling diamonds and twinkling emeralds in leading roles. Whether mechanisms of movie magic, utilising cubic zirconias or lower-quality gems as stand-ins, or borrowing real-life diamonds from some of the biggest luxury houses in the world, there have been jewellery moments in films stretching back to the 1950s and ’60s. 

Below, the most impactful—and coincidentally, the most beautiful—jewellery moments in film. 

Tracy’s ring in High Society

Did you watch the 1950s classic High Society and become briefly blinded by Grace Kelly’s small boulder-sized engagement ring? In actual fact, the ring wasn’t a prop, nor was it a loan, it was Grace Kelly’s actual engagement ring. For her last film before retiring to become a princess, Kelly wore the solitaire Cartier ring she was gifted by her then-fiancé Prince Rainier. A royal appearance indeed.

Satine’s necklace in Moulin Rouge!

A bold narrative device. In Moulin Rouge!, this gargantuan necklace given to Satine by ‘The Duke’ is a symbol of her captivity and possession. As she struggles with her choice between the safety of the Duke and her love for Christian, the closing in of the necklace around her neck makes for a compelling visual prop to represent a cage—or a leashed collar. In real life, the necklace was made by Australian brand Canturi. Made specifically to fit actress Nicole Kidman’s neck and decolletage, the necklace was made out of 18K white gold and 134 carats of diamonds. It was so valuable that they recreated a ‘stunt double’ necklace that was able to be worn during more physical scenes. 

Rose’s necklace in Titanic

There is perhaps no movie necklace more famous than Rose’s sparkling sapphire in Titanic. The heart-shaped sapphire, ringed by a halo of diamonds and suspended from a diamond chain, was introduced as a means of control from Rose’s fiancé, Cal. However, its presence in the iconic ‘Draw me like one of your French girls’ scene, wherein Rose has Jack draw her nude portrait wearing only the necklace, begins to tie it to Jack. Its reappearance at the end of the film, where Rose tosses it into the ocean, reaffirms it as an eternal tie to her one true love.

Vivian’s necklace in Pretty Woman

It’s hard to go past this icon. This choker necklace made of heart-shaped rubies in diamond halos, in its snapping blue velvet box, was a protagonist of its own in this scene.

Andie’s necklace in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

It’s a hard task to match jewellery to your custom Carolina Herrera yellow-silk gown. But Kate Hudson’s Andie Anderson does it gamely: with a 80-carat yellow-diamond necklace by Harry Winston. “Taking care of that diamond was a real pain for production because we needed security people and an armoured car and all of this stuff all the time,” producer Lynda Obst told Vanity Fair. 

Holly’s necklace and tiara in Breakfast at Tiffany’s

What does one wear to dress up and eat a Danish outside a Tiffany & Co. store? Well, not exactly Tiffany, but something just as fabulous. For the scene, Audrey Hepburn wore a four-strand pearl necklace made of 200 pearls with a diamond brooch at the centre, creating one of the most iconic costumes in film history.

Eleanor’s ring in Crazy Rich Asians

In the film, this spectacular emerald ring has a beautiful story: originally owned by the film’s matriarch, Eleanor Young, she gifts it to her son to use as an engagement ring, an olive brand to mend the rift between her son and his love, Rachel. In real life, it had a pretty good story, too: it was a real ring that actually belonged to Michelle Yeoh, who plays Eleanor. “The ring in the movie, it belonged to me, yes,” Yeoh told The Knot. “It was very important for it to be real. And Eleanor was a character who knew what she wore had to be flawless. Her [own] mother-in-law did not approve and did not give her the family ring at the end of the day… so that ring had to be very special.”

Daphne’s necklace in Ocean’s 8

A necklace that played such a big part, it should have gotten its own end credits mention, Ocean’s 8 revolves around the theft of a necklace called the Toussaint Necklace. Originally created by Cartier, the original necklace no longer exists, but the jewellery house unearthed the original sketches and photographs to recreate a version for the film. Although the film version is made of white diamonds, the original was made of exotic blue, green and pink diamonds.

Vesper’s necklace in Casino Royale

During Vesper Lynd’s scenes in the widely-lauded James Bond film Casino Royale, she is always seen wearing this iconic knot necklace. Narratively, it plays its part: Vesper wears it in every scene to tie it visually to her character, then (spoiler!) after her tragic death, Bond carries it with him as a memento mori to honour her as one of his true loves. Thematically, the design is fitting. The design is based on an ‘Algerian love knot,’ with gold and silver rings entwined to symbolise an everlasting love.

The necklace in Love Actually

A universally devastating moment for all viewers. The moment that Emma Thompson’s Karen discovers the necklace and realises that, not only is it not for her, but that her husband is having an affair, is thought of to be one of the most shattering movie moments. Add in that hilarious scene of the late Alan Rickman buying it, and it earns its spot as one of the most iconic pieces of jewellery in film.

Lorelai’s diamonds in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

It’s rare that a look is so popular that it becomes synonymous with the actress who wore it, but this pink look from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes did just that. Along with that hot-pink column dress and matching gloves, the ‘diamond’ cuffs and necklace worn in the sequence are unforgettable. 

Daisy’s ring and brooch in The Great Gatsby (1974)

Although the film itself was largely panned, the Cartier jewellery within 1974’s The Great Gatsby was show-stopping. Not including the pearl necklace (which Daisy dramatically throws away during a fight), a couple of the standout pieces included Daisy’s giant marquise ring, and the Cartier ‘Love Birds’ brooch (seen here), parrots made of rubies, onyx, and diamonds to symbolise Daisy and Jay.

Daisy’s headpiece in The Great Gatsby (2013)

In the 1974 version of the film, Cartier was behind the jewels. In 2013, luxury jewellery house Tiffany & Co. stepped to the plate to provide the diamonds and jewellery pieces. One particularly memorable piece is the ‘Savoy headpiece,’ worn by Daisy, featuring freshwater pearls and over 25 carats of round brilliant diamonds arranged to resemble feathers.

Frances’ necklace in To Catch a Thief

“You know as well as I do this necklace is an imitation,” exclaims Frances, wearing a fake diamond necklace in order to ensnare a jewel thief. Fake as it is—the costume designer loaned it for $75 from a costume jewellery company—Grace Kelly’s elegance and the divine chiffon dress paint an iconic picture.

Anna’s necklace in Anna Karenina

“Never in my experience on film sets have I seen anyone with such a range of diamonds and pearls. But I have to say it was very useful for Keira to have at her fingertips all this fine jewellery, as Anna would. It was the aura of Anna Karenina that we were creating,” Anna Karenina costume designer Jacqueline Durran told WWD. The most spectacular piece from the collection was this US$1.2 million necklace by Chanel, featuring one of Chanel’s house codes in the camellia flower.

Linnet’s necklace in Death on the Nile

The perfect necklace for a socialite, Linnet’s eye-watering necklace from the movie is a real piece: Tiffany & Co.’s ‘Yellow Diamond.’ The 128.54 carat fancy-cut, canary-yellow diamond is hung from a white-diamond chain, and was loaned to the film for the scene. Since its discovery in 1877, the necklace has only been worn a handful of times, including by Beyonce and Lady Gaga at the 2019 Oscars. 

Anne’s necklace in The Other Boleyn Girl

Anne Boleyn’s iconic necklace—a ‘B’ hung from a strand of pearls, followed by three tear-drop pearls—has been recreated for several shows, plays and movies. This version in The Other Boleyn Girl was particularly lavish. According to legend, before her execution, the necklace was given to Anne’s sister Mary (played in this film by Scarlett Johansson), and was dismantled to form part of the crown of Anne’s daughter, Queen Elizabeth I.

Arwen’s ‘Evenstar’ necklace in The Lord of the Rings

A piece of jewellery with a real part to play in the story, in The Lord of the Rings, the ‘Evenstar’ necklace is both a narrative symbol and a mythical one. In the film, immortal Arwen gives the necklace to her mortal love Aragon, which symbolises her giving up her immortality to be with him.

Amelia’s crown in The Princess Diaries

“When I woke up, I was Mia Thermopolis. But now I choose to be forevermore, Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi, Princess of Genovia.” An iconic moment in the beloved Princess Diaries, Mia’s long awaited acceptance of her royal heritage is accompanied by this tiara, made of yellow and white pear-shaped (fake) diamonds.

Diana’s ring in The Crown

After being introduced to it in season four, Princess Diana’s sparkling blue sapphire engagement ring plays a part as a silent character in subsequent episodes. At times, a lonely tether to her royal life, in The Crown, it serves as a constant reminder of Diana’s heartache and struggle against the system. 

Eliza’s necklace and tiara in My Fair Lady

While trying to pass as a high society lady to a Hungarian prince, Eliza Doolitte is presented wearing this iconic white dress, opera gloves, a high-necked choker and a tiara by Chaumet. The open-work choker featured graduating swags and covered the actress’ entire neck, making for a statement indeed.

Sign up to our newsletter