The most famously beautiful gems in the world have largely belonged to movie stars and royalty. Grace Kelly is unique because she was both, first as a talented and beautiful actress, and second as the Princess of Monaco, and her impeccable style makes her one of the most recognizable jewelry icons in history.
Ropes and Ropes of Pearls
Grace Kelly loved pearls. In the 1950s, when asked about her favorite gems, she stated, “I favor pearls on screen and in my private life.” She later advised pearls as a necessity: “A woman needs ropes and ropes of pearls.” Grace Kelly was a fair-skinned blonde whose glowy good looks were complimented by the iridescent luster of pearls, so it’s no wonder she loved these softly glowing gems (pearls are also stunning on darker skin tones, too, as their contrast beautifully with tan, olive, and deep complections can be striking).
She often wore pearls in movies. The strand of pearls she wore in Rear Window completes her iconic black-and-white ensemble, which is one of the most glamorous looks in Hollywood history.
(photo- still from Rear Window, Paramount Pictures)
Promotional photo for Rear Window
She also wore pearls in her private life.
Source: https://agirlandherpearls.tumblr.com
Prince Rainier took her to Van Cleef’s after their wedding to choose a wedding gift. There, she chose her favorite jewels– a suite of pearls accented with diamonds.
Source: vancleefarpels.com
She wore these special pieces for the rest of her life, sometimes all together, sometimes on their own, and sometimes mixed with other pieces.
In 1981, wearing her wedding present necklace, 25 years later.
In fact, when the Post Office issued its 1993 postage stamp to honor Grace Kelly, they depicted her in her iconic style: with a strand of pearls.
The Coffee Bean necklace
Source: townandcountrymag.com
Another one of Grace Kelly’s most famous jewelry pieces was her coffee bean necklace from Cartier. This beautiful 18k yellow gold necklace accented with yellow diamonds was so stunning on this golden-haired princess that it was featured in her postage stamp in Monaco. The allure of this mid-century piece was that it was modern and classic at the same time– it seemed minimal and sleek, but it hearkens back to ancient Roman designs when wreaths of leaves commonly adorned statues of gods and goddesses.
Source: townandcountrymag.com
Princess Grace also famously wore this necklace while on her state visit to visit JFK and Jackie at the White House, which was probably one of the best looking groups of people to ever sit together to dine there!
The Engagement Ring(s)
When Prince Rainier first proposed to Grace Kelly, he gave her a ruby and diamond ring made from family heirlooms.
Later, the real ring came. A 10.48ct emerald cut from Cartier.
Source: victorbarbone.com
She immediately wore her own engagement ring in her next film, High Society, insisting that she wear her own ring instead of a prop. It’s prominence on the silver screen made it one of the most famous engagement rings in the world.
Source: thejewelleryeditor.com
Signature style
Perhaps what makes us love Grace Kelly’s jewelry the most is the sense that the style was completely her own. She wore what she loved and wore these pieces repeatedly throughout her life.
Whether you’re a pearl girl or not, whether you love a minimal gold necklace or something more colorful, we all can take a page from Princess Grace’s book. By building a collection of pieces we love that are made to last a lifetime, we can cultivate a signature style.
Contact us today to start custom-designing your own signature pieces. As always, Secrete Fine Jewelry handcrafts each piece to last for generations.
