But the relationship between the worlds of high jewellery and cinema have long been intertwined. The house of Chaumet aligned itself with royalty as the official jeweller to Napoleon Bonaparte and Empress Josephine in the early 1800s. A century later, it turned its attention to Hollywood royalty and in the 1920s, vaudeville stars The Dolly Sisters became loyal fans of Chaumet and were often seen draped in the house’s pearl necklaces, diamond earrings and ornate brooches. The association between Chaumet and cinema continues a century on from that, with the house sponsoring the 2016 Cesar Awards.

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The maison’s Cinemagia high jewellery collection celebrates the golden era of cinema. More than 150 pieces draw inspiration from Italian black-and-white films, and 1950s Hollywood starlets and their glamorous escapes to the French Riviera.

More literal interpretations of the connection with cinema include Bulgari’s Action! necklace, depicting a film reel and celebrating the innovative advent of celluloid in film. Zirconium – an unconventional material for high jewellery – is used to replicate the sheen of celluloid while 32 carats of pavé diamonds complete the piece.

In 2019, as the official jeweller of the Tribeca Film Festival, the brand launched a short film project championing women breaking with convention and challenging societal norms. “Bulgari is delighted to have the opportunity to celebrate extraordinary Italian women who like the brand, are bold, daring and larger than life,” said Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of the Bulgari group.

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More recently, stars are highlighting the Eden The Garden of Wonders collection on the red carpet, including Anne Hathaway, who was draped in designs including the Mediterranean Reverie necklace, which features a rare 107.15-carat cushion-cut Sri Lankan sapphire central stone.

Also drawing upon cinema’s rich legacy, Caroline Scheufele, Chopard’s artistic director, designed the 75-piece Red Carpet collection, launched this year. “I think that true glamour is all about style, it’s a sort of natural elegance that is arresting but never ostentatious,” Scheufele said. Unveiled for the 75th iteration of Cannes Film Festival and marking the maison’s 25th year of collaboration with the festival, the collection draws upon films that have had a lasting impact on Scheufele.

“With a film you can travel in time or visit faraway lands, you can ‘meet’ all sorts of characters and go through every feeling possible, from joy to compassion, from thrills to laughter and back again,” she said.

Highlights include a necklace inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief, featuring a 13.69-carat internally flawless D-grade diamond said to channel the glitz and glamour of the French Riviera – a hotspot for Hollywood starlets in the 1950s.

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Chopard created the first ethical Palme d’Or film trophy for Cannes in 2014 and subsequent trophies were made using 18k fair mined yellow gold, demonstrating a continued commitment to ethical design. According to Scheufele, “The trophy is an authentic high jewellery creation, with all the unique aspects it entails: precious raw materials, expert handmade craftsmanship and one-of-a-kind design.”

This year, the trophies were updated. “We replaced the rock crystal cushion-cut base with pink quartz, the gemstone that symbolises love. We also added a delicate touch of sparkle with diamonds: there are 75 on one of the Palme’s leaves and 25 on another,” Scheufele said.