Lights! Camera! Jewellery!

Most of the bling we see on screen, whether in a TV series or a movie, is costume jewellery.  Netflix's The Crown is the perfect example of why using real stones and real pieces for the screen just isn't an option; they're not allowed to borrow the Queen's collection, nor are they permitted to make exact replicas of some important pieces.  Juliette Designs has been operating since the 1980s making bridal jewellery and replicas of pieces for historical dramas and they made many of the pieces featured in the series.

It's rare for productions to feature real jewellery but there are some instances when only the real thing will do – often relying on pieces owned by the cast or connections with the jewellery world.  The 2018, the hit film Crazy Rich Asians featured a lot of genuine high-end jewellery to create the right look on screen, and they contacted jeweller Michelle Ong to provide real pieces for the actors, including a yellow diamond and platinum necklace. 

Bulgari and Chopard also provided jewellery, which were accompanied by security guards on set, to ensure that the pieces worn by the wealthy characters looked as convincing as possible.  The infamous emerald and diamond engagement ring actually belonged to the actress Michelle Yeoh, who offered the piece from her private collection after seeing the prototype costume piece, which was no match for the genuine article.

Chopard have long been associated with Hollywood, lending jewellery for many productions including the Bond film No Time To Die, where Bond girl Ana de Armas showcases a gorgeous diamond set.  Harry Winston also created a bespoke piece for Kate Hudson in How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days; the 84 carat yellow diamond necklace was made to go with a backless dress in the same colour.  The brand has long been associated with Hollywood after Harry started lending jewellery for red carpet events in 1944.

Harry Winston jewellery was also seen on screen in the 1997 film version of Cinderella.  Leading lady Whoopi Goldberg, used her connections to borrow millions of dollar’s worth of diamond jewellery from the celebrity jeweller, as she thought the Queen ought to be wearing real gems and not imitation pieces.  The rhinestones used in the prop jewellery did not give the right look and Goldberg felt this would be noticeable on screen, especially given the amount of finery her character wore in each scene.  The items lent included a 70-carat ring worth $9 million and a $2.5 million necklace and in total, it is estimated that Goldberg wore over $60 million worth of Winston jewellery for the production.  Security guards were on set to take custody of the pieces when the cameras were not rolling.

You may be forgiven for thinking that it was Tiffany jewellery that featured heavily in the Audrey Hebpurn classic Breakfast At Tiffany's but in fact, none of their pieces were worn in the film.  The well-known Tiffany diamond was worn for publicity events, but most of the bling on screen was costume jewellery.  However, half a century later Tiffany jewellery was the clear choice for The Great Gatsby (2014) movie, as it was the popular place to buy bling in the roaring twenties.  Vintage pieces from the archive, as well as recreated pieces inspired by the original designs, were provided for the cast.  The scene where a pearl necklace is torn off character Daisy's neck used a real pearl piece, and security guards had to ensure they retrieved every single pearl after the action.

Next time you watch a movie, see if you can tell whether the jewellery you looking at is real or costume.  Some of the prop pieces are very convincing, but sometimes you're really looking at millions of dollars of gemstones – they don't call it “The Silver Screen” for nothing.