At the 97th Academy Awards, Mackie Madison, who won Best Actress for her role in The Other Side of the World, made headlines not just for her performance but for her stunning vintage Tiffany necklace. The piece, crafted over a century ago, became a symbol of timeless elegance on the red carpet.
Madison wasn’t alone in her choice of vintage jewelry. Elle Fanning wore a 1950s Cartier necklace, while Colman Domingo and Paul Tazewell, who won for Best Costume Design for Wicked, sported brooches from the same era. Gal Gadot chose a piece from the Tiffany archives, and Isabella Rossellini wore earrings that once belonged to her mother, the legendary Ingrid Bergman. Yet, it was Madison’s Tiffany necklace that stood out for its rich history and exquisite craftsmanship.
The necklace, created between 1909 and 1918, features 17 graduated diamonds set in a delicate scroll frame, with a 3.9-carat old European-cut diamond at its center. It embodies the Edwardian style, named after England’s King Edward VII, known for its flowing curves, intricate designs, and use of white diamonds and platinum. Advances in torch technology during that era allowed jewelers to craft lace-like patterns in platinum, while changing fashion trends, such as the rise of fine fabrics and new neckline styles, made long, delicate necklaces like Madison’s highly sought after.
The necklace is documented in Tiffany’s 1909 Blue Book, which listed numerous “diamond necklaces and chokers,” including designs with “flexible pendants.” This places the piece firmly in the Edwardian era, a time before the geometric shapes and rigid lines of Art Deco took hold in the 1920s.
More than a century after its creation, the necklace has reemerged, a testament to the enduring allure of fine jewelry. Its platinum setting still gleams, and its diamonds sparkle as if they were newly cut. It serves as a reminder of how jewelry can transcend time, shaped by history yet forever timeless. Last night, it wasn’t just a necklace—it was a piece of art, a fragment of history, and a symbol of beauty that defies the ages.
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