Editor’s Note
This article highlights how Gao Yuanyuan’s appearance at Cannes masterfully blended cinematic glamour with high jewelry artistry, showcasing CHAUMET’s craftsmanship on a global stage.
Who can resist the allure of fire? At the recent 78th Cannes International Film Festival, CHAUMET brand ambassador Gao Yuanyuan stunned with two visually striking high jewelry looks. This Eastern beauty perfectly interpreted the essence of French jewelry art and showcased the breathtaking brilliance of top-tier gemstones.
On the red carpet for the premiere of “Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain,” the Joséphine Valse Impérial necklace around Gao Yuanyuan’s neck was a textbook display of fire. The 18.88-carat Ceylon sapphire, set within the iconic V-shaped design, reflected mesmerizing blue light from every facet. This optical phenomenon, known as “fire,” presented a stunning visual feast under professional lighting—as if blue flames were dancing inside the gemstone.
Even at night, these gemstones can refract dazzling flashes of light, a phenomenon known in the gemological field by the professional term “fire” or dispersion. Fire (Dispersion) is one of the most important optical effects in gemology. When white light enters a gemstone, light of different wavelengths separates due to differences in refractive index, creating a rainbow-like dispersion effect.
The fire of colored gemstones is often masked by their own body color, making it less apparent compared to transparent gemstones with the same dispersion value. However, fire adds brilliance to colored gemstones, making them appear more radiant and vibrant than stones of the same color but with lower dispersion.
For the same type of high-dispersion gemstone, different cuts can significantly affect the fire. For example, cabochon-cut stones exhibit much weaker fire compared to faceted stones. Similarly, emerald-cut gemstones show weaker fire compared to round brilliant cuts.
Fire not only makes gemstones look beautiful but also plays a relatively important role in gemstone identification. For experienced gemologists, they can quickly distinguish among a pile of crystals, topaz, beryl, glass, moissanite, and synthetic cubic zirconia (commonly known as “rhinestones”) with the naked eye based on their fire.
Among them, diamond is one of the most dazzling natural gemstones in our impression.
In 13th-century Europe, diamonds were merely a symbol of royal privilege. It wasn’t until Alice Sorel, the mistress of French King Charles V, received a diamond from the king and wore it in public that diamonds entered civilian life.
At that time, the common people’s desire for diamonds stemmed from the nobility’s glorification of them. During the reign of Louis XIV, the popularity of diamonds in France peaked. Not only were the palaces filled with jewels, but the king himself was also adorned with sparkling diamonds.
Diamond tiaras naturally became symbols of power and wealth. In 1724, when Russian Tsar Peter the Great crowned his empress, her tiara was set with 2,500 diamonds. In 1838, when Queen Victoria ascended the throne, the royal family had 2,500 diamonds at her disposal…
The monopoly of nobility was broken by America at the end of the 19th century. Compared to the solemnity of diamond tiaras, many American tycoons, after accumulating their first fortunes, preferred to express love with diamond necklaces—their women had more occasions to wear them and display their wealth. Publishing magnate Joseph Pulitzer once gave his wife a necklace set with 222 diamonds, purchased at a French royal jewelry auction.
Coupled with the celebrity effect of stories like Audrey Hepburn and the legendary yellow diamond, and Elizabeth Taylor and the Krupp Diamond, the value of owning a diamond seemed to complement a woman’s level of charm.
In the extravagant 1920s, diamond necklaces became an essential decorative element of the Flapper Style. Jewelry styles began to simplify during this period, laying the foundation for diamond necklaces to smoothly enter middle-class life. When minimalism prevailed in the 1990s, actresses like Gwyneth Paltrow and Scarlett Johansson switched to simple, basic diamond necklaces on the red carpet. The sparkling brilliance perfectly complemented their colorful gowns.
Merchants are responsible for pricing diamonds, while jewelry designers create dreams for girls. It is the continuous emergence of these exquisite designs that keeps modern independent women strongly desiring diamonds.
Recently, major jewelry houses have been drawing inspiration from butterflies and flowers, offering options from basic styles costing tens of thousands to extravagant pieces worth a fortune—there’s always something to catch your eye.
The recently popular Graff is a top British jewelry brand founded in 1960. It has two distinctive features: first, it owns its own mines and secures a large supply of rough diamonds through long-term agreements or preferential purchasing rights from South African mining companies, which are then cut and designed into legendary diamonds. Every diamond can be traced to its source. For over half a century, the brand has been synonymous with rare and beautiful diamonds and gemstones. Indeed, many of the world’s giant rare diamonds are in its collection or originated from it.
Of course, as a seasoned diamond player, besides high jewelry that showcases technical prowess, Graff also has collections to present, with the Butterfly series being one of its mainstays. Inspired by the delicate beauty of butterfly wings, the series transforms into countless ingenious creations. In recent years, the主打 Butterfly Illusion series has further delicately outlined the elegant beauty of butterflies with镂空技艺, becoming the focal point in a fleeting glimpse.
Also shining brightly is Harry Winston, renowned as the “Jeweler to the Stars.” Not only are its diamond rings captivating to all women, but its other jewelry is also exceptionally strong. Harry Winston has extremely high standards for diamonds and colored gemstones, combined with unique cutting techniques and setting craftsmanship, making its jewelry自成一家.
The classic Sunflower series is one COCO highly recommends. Since the 1950s, the upright flower posture, bright golden yellow tones, and layered petals have provided Harry Winston’s master jewelers with a continuous source of design inspiration. The vibrant jewelry is also perfect for lively spring and summer wear.
DE BEERS has also launched romantic and dynamic butterfly jewelry. The slogan “A Diamond is Forever” was coined by the brand. The Portraits of Nature series uses diamonds to outline dynamic postures, releasing charming brilliance with graceful流转. Mixed fancy-cut diamonds and pavé-set diamonds echo each other,勾勒出 the shape of butterfly wings. The varying sizes and造型装饰 are exquisitely精致 whether worn alone or in combination.
Van Cleef & Arpels, skilled at artistic jewelry creations, often captures the姿态 of flowers. The Frivole series is the brand’s most iconic design,迷人优雅. For highly representative daywear pieces, one can also consider the Two Butterfly series, where斑斓 butterflies play and flutter, bringing joy and fascination.