The Cartier Toussaint Necklace Was Inspired by an Indian Maharaja
The diamond necklace at the centre of this season’s most talked-about heist – Ocean’s 8 starring Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett – is worth an astonishing $150 million. But while the heist looks easy on the surface, it’s not as simple as it seems.
The original Toussaint necklace was designed in 1931 by Jacques Cartier for the Maharaja of Nawanagar. It was described as the finest cascade of coloured diamonds in the world.
It’s a tribute to Jeanne Toussaint
When Cartier was tasked with creating a replica of the necklace worn by Anne Hathaway in the box office hit Ocean’s 8, they went to their archives and High Jewelry workshops on Rue de la Paix in Paris for inspiration. Their master jewelers painstakingly created the Toussaint in eight weeks to perfectly fit Hathaway’s measurements and proportions.
The original piece, commissioned in 1931 for the Maharaja of Nawanagar, is no longer in existence but photographs and blueprints of the jewel are still preserved at Cartier, so the company re-created it as a tribute to Jeanne Toussaint, Jacques Cartier’s artistic director during the 1930s. The new creation is 15% to 20% smaller and fitted with dismountable bezels that are made of colorless diamonds for a timeless look.
After researching the jewel’s history, the Cartier team consulted with their master gemologists to determine the right material for the Toussaint. While the original piece was comprised of colored diamonds, it was decided that zirconium oxides would be the best option for the film. This would allow the jewelry to withstand repeated handling during the filming process without damaging the gems.
Using a combination of zirconium oxides and natural materials, the pieces were set into white gold to create the appearance of flawless diamonds. It was important that the gems were not real because it would have taken an inordinate amount of time to assemble genuine diamonds in such large numbers and a piece of high jewellery like this could practically run the entire film production!
While the original Toussaint was made for a man, it was sized down to fit Anne Hathaway’s measurements and fitted with dismountable bezels. The size of the piece was reduced by 15 to 20 percent, allowing for the dismountable bezels and making it more suited to her petite frame.
It’s no wonder the piece stole the show in Ocean’s 8. The story behind it brings the film full circle, bringing the rough, tough, feminist theme of the movie to life with an exceptional bit of sparkle.
It’s a tribute to the Maharaja
The infamous necklace worn by Ocean’s 8 characters is a real piece of jewellery, but did you know it actually traces its roots back to an Indian Maharaja?
The original “Toussaint” diamond necklace was created in 1931 for the Maharaja of Nawanagar, India by Cartier designer Jacques Cartier. Described as the “finest cascade of colored diamonds” in the world, the necklace was designed as a superb realization of a connoisseur’s dream.
During its heyday, Cartier was the preferred jeweller for Maharajas in India. The brand’s designs melded new shapes with multi-coloured gemstones and sautoirs, all of which were inspired by the opulence of India’s royals.
In the 1930s, Jeanne Toussaint was credited with establishing Cartier’s stylistic identity, and she favored India as a source of inspiration for her creations. She was a fearless creative icon, and her bold spirit influenced many of the pieces that would later become part of Cartier’s collection.
Her designs incorporated the lotus flower and traditional turban ornaments, as well as head ornaments like the sarpech. She was a strong believer in the importance of integrating ethnic elements into her designs.
As a result, the design of her Pantere became an iconic icon for the Maison and her influence can be seen all throughout Cartier’s collection today.
However, the original Cartier Toussaint necklace no longer exists. It was broken down and the diamonds used in it were repurposed into other jewelry pieces.
Despite this, Cartier was able to recreate the necklace using a sketch from its historical archives and photographs of the original necklace. Based on these images, the Maison’s high jewelry workshop worked for eight weeks to create a new piece that perfectly fit Anne Hathaway’s neck and was not affected by all the manipulations during filming.
The necklace was reduced in size by 15 to 20% and sized to fit Hathaway’s measurements. The coloured diamonds were replaced by natural zirconium oxides, and meticulous attention was paid to the finishing of the settings and polishing so that close-ups did not reveal any imperfections.
The final product is stunning and has an elegant, timeless quality that reflects the history behind it. It is a perfect match for the actress’s style and character, as well as the storyline of Ocean’s 8.
It’s a tribute to Ocean’s 8
Ocean’s 8 is a heist comedy that brings together an all-female cast of Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Sarah Paulson, Mindy Kaling, Awkwafina and Rihanna. It also gives a feminist twist to the popular Ocean’s franchise.
The film follows a team of thieves led by Danny Ocean’s sister Debbie (Bullock), who enlists the help of her friend Lou Miller (Blanchett) to steal a Cartier necklace worth $150 million during the Met Gala. The group of robbers includes expert fence Tammy (Paulson), hacker Nine Ball (Rihanna) and fashion designer Rose (Bonham Carter).
As it turns out, the jewel that all of the movie’s female characters are seen wearing is actually a replica of an actual Cartier creation named after their former creative director, Jeanne Toussaint. The original was designed in 1931 by Jacques Cartier for the Maharaja of Nawanagar, a princely state of British India.
According to the brand, it was originally a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, described as “the finest cascade of colored diamonds in the world.” However, the real-life piece no longer exists and was only recently reconstructed by Cartier’s High Jewelry team as a tribute to Toussaint.
In the film, the necklace appears on Anne Hathaway’s neck as she’s getting ready for the Met Gala. She was given the piece by the film’s costume designer, who wanted to make sure it matched her character’s proportions.
It was a difficult task, but the Cartier team managed to create an incredibly accurate replica of the original. In the movie, the necklace is reduced by about 15 percent in size to match Hathaway’s measurements.
When Cartier’s High Jewelry team reconstructed the necklace, they used sketches that are in their archives as a guide. The team also adjusted the sizing of each individual stone so it would fit perfectly on Hathaway’s neck.
The original necklace was crafted from blue and white coloured diamonds. It was created by Jacques Cartier in 1931 for the Maharaja of Nawanagar and is a fine example of his bold design.
Its dazzling beauty and opulence have become a symbol of Cartier’s luxury and craftsmanship. It was a testament to the vision of their former creative director, who was inspired by the opulence of Indian kings.
It’s a tribute to Anne Hathaway
Cartier is an exclusive jewelry partner to the new Ocean’s 8 movie, and many stunning pieces are featured. Among them is the cartier toussaint necklace, which Anne Hathaway wears with royal flair. It’s named after Jeanne Toussaint, a revolutionary woman who was instrumental in establishing Cartier as a premier jewelry brand.
She adored Indian jewelry and was inspired by the splendor of Maharajas. In 1931, the Maharaja of Nawanagar commissioned Jacques Cartier to create a spectacular necklace with a cascade of coloured diamonds, and it was later named the Cartier Toussaint.
Unfortunately, the original commissioned necklace was made for a man, and the film’s costume department had to downsize it so that it would fit Anne Hathaway (who plays Daphne Kluger, a world-famous actress attending the Met Gala in the movie). To make the replica, Cartier reportedly used historical photographs, archival drawings and the original plans to recreate the piece.
The jewel was created in Cartier’s Paris high jewellery workshop and took about eight weeks to complete. To match the likeness, Cartier’s best jewelers recreated it using zirconium oxide and white gold, rather than real diamonds.
However, the film’s costume department had to shrink it down by about 15 to 20 percent in size so that it wouldn’t engulf her neck. As a result, the necklace has a more subtle appearance than its real-life counterpart.
In the movie, the tanish yellow-brown hue of the original necklace is replaced with a clear color. In addition, the coloured diamonds that formed the original necklace’s cascade are replaced with white ones.
While the original necklace isn’t as priceless as the one that Anne Hathaway wears in the film, it still has a beautiful story behind it. In fact, it’s actually based off of a diamond piece that was made for a Maharaja back in 1931, and has since been lost.
For Ocean’s 8, Cartier dug out the jewel’s original design drawing and set to work. Over eight weeks, its best jewelers were able to recreate the piece using zirconium oxides and white gold, and they adapted the bauble to Hathaway’s measurements.
The Cartier Toussaint Necklace Was Inspired by an Indian Maharaja