PHOTO COURTESY OF CARTIER
Anything is possible in the whimsical, magical and outrageously colourful world of Willy Wonka. This includes a spectacular custom-made Cartier candy necklace that features almost a thousand gemstones. One which actor Timothée Chalamet debuted on the red carpet at the world premiere of his latest film, Wonka.
Chalamet, a house ambassador, met with Cartier’s creative director of jewellery and watchmaking Marie-Laure Cérède months before the premiere. At the maison’s jewellery ateliers in Paris, the duo shared their sources of inspiration and creative visions for the piece, which included a series of film stills.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CARTIER
The result? An eclectic, colourful, Wonka-esque masterpiece which took 450 painstaking hours to make. An homage to the brilliant young Wonka, the vibrant work of art begins with a white gold structure. Adorning the joyful piece is a palette of more than 900 precious stones in a rainbow of contrasting shades.
Set individually by hand, each onyx, opal, tourmaline and emerald gives it an effect reminiscent of pointillism. Fitted precisely to the actor, the paved creation not only pays tribute to the spirit of the film. It also sits directly on the skin, leaving the pink, green and blue precious stones glinting enticingly like confectionery.
Following its red carpet appearance, the exceptional necklace will become part of the Cartier Collection, which travels around the globe for display at jewellery exhibitions.
