The stars of the most recent Pink Panther film wore some rather spectacular examples of diamond jewelry to the film’s premier. It is rather appropriate considering the subject of the comedy film is a bumbling detective’s attempts to catch a jewel thief. The Pink Panther, in fact, was a diamond in the first film, not the beloved cartoon character from whom many assume the film took its name.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful women in the world, arrived wearing a diamond necklace that showed that the gems can be beautiful and eye-catching without being audacious. Though it is somewhat hard to believe that any jewelry could make Aishwarya Rai Bachchan more fetching than she is already, the necklace certainly added to the effect.
Emily Mortimer arrived on the red—or, rather, pink—carpet wearing a very large diamond choker, fashioned into flowers, that went a long way toward making anyone who caught sight of her stop in their tracks.
Celebrities wearing diamonds at film premiers, even when they’re not particularly relevant to the plot, is a long-standing tradition. Just as they have for ages, the gems tend to connote wealth, luxury and style, something with which Hollywood works hard to associate itself in the minds of those who watch films.
Probably no celebrity, past or present, is more associated with diamonds than is Elizabeth Taylor. One of the most famous jewels that graced the star was purchased for her in the late 1960s by then husband Richard Burton. She wore this diamond almost constantly after she received it.
The Krupp Diamond, purchased in 1968 by Burton for Taylor is a magnificent gem that can be seen in various films starring the legendary beauty and in many shots of her on red carpets and in fashionable places worldwide. The diamond is a whopping 33.19 carats. Set in a ring, it is an omnipresent feature on her person, whether the occasion be formal or casual. Burton regarded such lavish gifts—he bought her several more diamonds throughout their marriage—as something of an investment. He once remarked that, if their careers should ever wane, they could sell the diamonds.
Of course, diamonds are most associated with announcing a desire to marry and celebrities have oftentimes shown off their wealth by gifting their fiancées with particularly expensive diamond pieces.
Elizabeth Taylor was once engaged to and given a 30 carat diamond by Michael Todd. Even this large gem doesn’t approach the largest diamond with which she is associated; the Taylor-Burton diamond weighs in at an amazing 69.42 carats!
Catherine Zeta-Jones who, like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, is considered one of the most singularly attractive women on film—or anywhere else, for that matter—was given a whopper of a ring by her husband Michael Douglas. Her engagement ring featured a 10 carat marquise cut diamond. The gem is valued at nearly 2 million dollars.
Grace Kelly, who would become both a film celebrity and actual royalty by virtue of her marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco, received a 12 carat diamond ring on the occasion of her engagement.
Audacious displays of wealth have always been something celebrities have enjoyed. Some of the younger stars are particularly taken with such displays and, possibly, the world of hip-hop music as provided more amusing, and sometimes amazing, examples of diamonds being used in ways that are not always serious and glamorous but which are certainly a great deal of fun.
P Diddy, by far one of the most wealthy and successful musicians today, dedicated 120 diamonds to the decoration of his portable media player. As is the case with adorning one’s self with such gemstones, adorning one’s possessions connotes a great deal of wealth.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are known for being very much involved with parenting. Their child Shiloh Nouvel started out life as only a celebrity could, with a pacifier studded with diamonds. Of course, this pacifier is intended as an ornament and a memento, not as an actual device to pacify a fussy child.
Aside from showing off one’s style at premiers and before a marriage, decorating items relevant to a celebrity’s reputation is probably the most popular way to use diamonds to show their accomplishments in material form. Race car drivers sometimes lay out the money to have their helmets decorated with diamonds and, of course, diamond encrusted microphones have been commissioned by more than one singer.
As does anyone else, celebrities often use diamonds to inaugurate a new beginning—a film premier or a marriage—or to commemorate something permanent about themselves, such as by P. Diddy announcing the importance of music to him by encrusting something as everyday as a music player in the priceless gems.