Jewellery can carry deep sentimental value. Over time, pieces often gain meaning, becoming symbols of important moments in one’s life. For actress Zoe Saldaña, one such piece of jewellery added even more magic to a milestone moment at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards.
Saldaña, known for her roles in some of the biggest films in history, experienced a special first at the Globes—her first nomination and her first win. The actress took home the award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for her portrayal of lawyer Rita Mora Castro in the Spanish-language film Emilia Pérez.
During her emotional acceptance speech, Saldaña thanked director Jacques Audiard, the cast and crew, her family, and her fellow nominees. Yet, the jewellery she wore that night became an important part of the celebration. The pieces—part of Cartier’s exclusive Nature Sauvage collection—were a fitting match for the occasion, adding to the enchantment of her Golden Globe win.
The jewellery set, known as Melis, includes a necklace and earrings inspired by honey and bees. It’s a continuation of Cartier’s Nature Sauvage collection, which draws on the beauty of nature. Saldaña, a longtime friend of Cartier, personally selected the pieces with her stylist, Petra Flannery. Leading up to the event, the two visited Cartier’s 13 Paix boutique in Paris, where they worked closely with Alexa Abitbol, the maison’s high jewellery workshop director.
The star of Saldaña’s look was the Melis necklace, an abstract and geometric design reflecting bees and honey. This striking piece took 738 hours of craftsmanship to complete. The necklace features rare and intricate techniques, with a totem-like bee crafted from a 2.64-carat briolette-cut Fancy Intense Yellow diamond at its center. Surrounding the bee is a honeycomb structure made of hexagonal settings in yellow gold, dotted with briolette- and brilliant-cut diamonds, and yellow diamond beads. The choice of yellow diamonds was intended to evoke the warmth and sweetness of honey.
What makes the Melis necklace especially unique is the use of yellow diamond beads—an unusual choice in jewellery. Typically, diamonds are faceted to maximize sparkle. But Cartier used mirror-polished, unfaceted beads that offer a softer, gentler light, enhancing the color of the yellow diamonds. The briolette diamonds are delicately mounted with fine micro-wires, creating the illusion that the gemstones are floating in space, further elevating the necklace’s ethereal beauty.
For Saldaña, the necklace became more than just an accessory—it symbolized both her personal achievement and the creative excellence of Cartier’s craftsmanship at a moment that will forever be etched in her career.
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