In celebrations of the intertwining jubilees of the 75th Cannes Film Festival and its 25-year partnership with Chopard, the prestigious Palme d'Or award receives a new look
The iconic Cannes Film Festival takes place from the 17th to the 28th of May. This year’s event marks a special occasion for the festival and one of its long-time collaborators, Chopard. The renowned Swiss luxury watches and jewellery company has been working together with the festival for 25 years and to mark the milestone that coincides with the 75th edition of Cannes Film Festival, a special version of the Palme d'Or award was created.
Established in 1955, The Palme d’Or is the highest prize granted at the Cannes Film Festival. The highly-coveted accolade has previously been won by titles such as Pulp Fiction and La Dolce Vita and for some cinephiles and industry insiders, the Palme ranks higher than an Oscar. This year, we’re hoping for the prestigious prize to end up in Scandinavia, as three Swedish film directors – Ruben Östlund for Triangle of Sadness, Tarik Saleh for Boy from Heaven and Ali Abbasi for Holy Spider – have been nominated for the award.
Norwegian star Renate Reinsve won Best Female Actress at the 74th Cannes Film Festival for her leading role in The Worst Person in the World. Photo: Getty
Since 1998, Chopard has been the creative force behind the Palme. At the time, the Maison’s artistic director and co-president Caroline Scheufele gave the award a new look, boasting an 18-carat yellow gold palm leaf that rests on a rock crystal cushion, shaped like an emerald-cut diamond. An Haute Joaillerie masterpiece, the Palme is inspired by the French legend of Saint Honorat and the palm trees that edge the famed La Croisette in Cannes.
Photo: Chopard
Photo: Chopard
To celebrate the intertwining jubilees this year, Scheufele has revisited her iconic design. Adorning two delicate leaves with diamonds from Responsible Jewellery Council-certified suppliers, one leaf has been studded with 75 diamonds to reflect the festival’s anniversary, the other decked with 25, embodying the cherished, quarter-century partnership with Chopard.
As another unique element, this year’s golden palm leaf won’t be placed on the usual rock crystal cushion; instead, it will be laid on a base crafted from rose quartz – a stone that signifies love. As the film industry’s glitterati soon gather at one of the most glamorous celebrations of the year, we’re eager to see who gets to take home the jubilee work of art.