Chopard Celebrates 25 Years of Magical Moments in Cannes

variety.com:

Carita Rizzo In the 75-year history of the Cannes Film Festival, the competition’s highest prize, the Palme d’Or, has brought to light some of the world’s most innovative filmmakers.

This year, the award itself is celebrating its moment in the spotlight, with the unveiling of a one-of-a-kind trophy feting Swiss jeweler Chopard’s 25th year designing the coveted Palme d’Or.To honor the double anniversary of the festival and its long-term partnership with Chopard, co-president and artistic director Caroline Scheufele is presenting a special edition Palme d’Or.

Two of the golden palm leaves will be studded with diamonds from suppliers certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council. One is graced with 75 diamonds symbolizing the festival’s jubilee, while the other features 25 diamonds to immortalize the quarter-century partnership.

Instead of the traditional rock-crystal cushion, the Fairmined-certified 18-carat yellow gold Palme d’Or is placed on a base made of rose quartz. “We wanted this year’s prize to convey our deep passion and dedication to this festival and to film, so we decided to pick a colored stone that symbolizes love,” says Scheufele. “This one-of-a-kind Palme d’Or is not only a trophy, but also a high jewelry creation featuring ethical Fairmined gold, precious materials and skilled craftsmanship.”Although the appearance of the trophy has remained largely unaltered since 1998, when Scheufele was tasked with redesigning the award, she wanted to reflect that the ideology behind the prize has evolved with the times.