Turning Heads: The Most Ostentatious Jewels of the Cannes Film Festival 2026

The red carpet at the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival delivered exactly what the world of high jewellery had hoped for: theatrical diamonds, vivid coloured gemstones and an unapologetic return to maximalist glamour. This year’s event seemed to push the boundaries of both fashion and jewellery, led with gusto by Demi Moore and her seemingly endless parade of dazzling looks. Statement necklaces, drop earrings, and juicy coloured gemstones were in abundance, steered by a trio of hugely visible maisons – Chopard, Chaumet and Messika. Let’s take a closer look at some of the highlights…

Unsurprisingly, Chopard once again dominated the Cannes conversation. The maison’s longstanding partnership with the festival ensures it has plenty of opportunity to dress the most headline-worthy celebs, including the ultimate ‘It woman’ of the proceedings, Demi Moore. The actress kickstarted proceedings at the Cannes Opening Ceremony wearing an extraordinary five-row diamond bib necklace featuring more than 226 carats of marquise-cut diamonds in 18k white gold. And this was only the beginning; she later wore sumptuous Chopard earrings, bold cocktail rings, and elaborate chokers, almost exclusively in white diamonds. When she did choose to inject colour, the goal was clearly to command attention. Take, for example, a choker from the Chopard Red Carpet Collection set with 87 carats of emeralds and brilliant, oval, and pear-shaped diamonds totalling over 40 carats.

In the handful of instances where Demi Moore broke away from Chopard, she did so with aplomb. First, she opted for the Boucheron Col High Jewellery necklace from the Histoire de Style The Power of Couture collection, followed by an incredible suite from Swarovski rumoured to cost upwards of $400,000. At every opportunity, she chose jewellery with dramatic proportions rather than classical pieces… which ultimately set the sartorial tone for the entire event.

Of course, Chopard’s influence extended far beyond Demi Moore. Model Adriana Lima wore one of the most spectacular emerald creations seen on the Croisette in years: a diamond collar centred around a 129-carat emerald cabochon. Similarly, Georgina Rodríguez embraced the extravagance of Cannes with a necklace featuring 152 emerald beads of 215.86 carats, a 13.86-carat round emerald centre stone, a 4.48 carat pear-shaped emerald pendant and 57.43 carats of diamonds; Isabelle Huppert wore a diamond-set floral cuff with a 51 carat Colombian emerald cabochon, and Sofia Carson wowed in multiple suites of Chopard emeralds and diamonds, including one depicting a snake sparkling around her neck. Remember, Chopard doesn’t just dress men and women at the festival for no reason; the social media reach it achieves through this collaboration is expansive. We counted more than 170 Instagram posts dedicated to specific high-profile looks throughout the festival, with many more likely to follow!

More Chopard highlights include 2026 Jury member Ruth Negga in an opal choker surrounded with what appears to be spessartite or mandarin garnet beads. She also wore a pair of emerald drop earrings, a blush pink choker, diamond earrings, and a beautiful white and yellow diamond line necklace for the Opening Ceremony. To see more from the likes of Bella Hadid, Dita Von Teese, Carla Bruni, and the Marchioness of Bath Emma Thynn, we recommend heading over to Chopard’s Instagram.

If Chopard was one of the dominant forces of this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the other two were Chaumet and Messika. The former offered a subtler and more feminine aesthetic to the likes of Gillian Anderson, Taylor Russell, and Simone Ashley, although Natasha Poly looked sensational in a chunky archival necklace in braided bronze and gold from 1977. As for Messika, it dressed actress Aja Naomi King in the Star Chaser High Jewellery necklace, Julianne Moore in the Python High Jewellery necklace set with a 10-carat cognac diamond, and model Kiko Mizuhara in the Enigma High Jewellery necklace with a 45-carat emerald-cut tanzanite.

More brands were present on high-profile faces, such as Boucheron, Pomellato, Tiffany & Co., Bulgari and several independent maisons that brought colour and personality to the famed Cannes steps. Highlights include Emily in Paris actress Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, who wore a necklace, earrings and a matching ring from the new Pomellato High Jewellery collection. The necklace alone is set with 21 pear-shaped Paraiba tourmalines totalling 20.15 carats that appear like raindrops atop snow-set white diamonds. Turkish actress Hande Erçel also wore Pomellato, this time the Gemme Superlative High Jewellery necklace with a rainbow array of coloured gemstones set alongside brown diamonds.

Another notable look was worn by Lebanese actress Nadine Nassib Njeim, who donned a one-of-a-kind Marli High Jewellery set that was created especially for her. Named ‘The Darling’, it comprises a necklace, earrings and a matching cuff bracelet set with pink tourmalines, black onyx, amethyst and natural diamonds. The scalloped setting for the central pink tourmaline, which weighs 10.70 carats, can be detached and worn as a brooch, while the remainder of the necklace can be worn in four distinct ways.

Colour was undeniably present at Cannes this year, with Alia Bhatt wowing in the Amrapali Golconda Rosé necklace. This piece is set with 168.27 carats of rare pink coral, 20 carats of diamonds, and a 5.53 carat Golconda Type IIa diamond that celebrates the history of Indian craftsmanship. Irina Shayk wore the beautiful Sinfonia necklace by Leo Pizzo High Jewellery, set with a pear-shaped aquamarine of over 25 carats, 10 carats of baguette-cut diamonds and a further 10 carats of brilliant-cut diamonds; model Coco Rocha stepped out in some avant-garde creations by Elsa Jin, and Spanish model Nieves Alvarez wore swathes of pink, purple and blue gemstones courtesy of Bulgari.

Another notable trend that emerged during Cannes 2026 was necklaces and pendants being worn in reverse to decorate the back. British actress Daisy Edgar-Jones wore a Boucheron tie-inspired diamond necklace backwards to accentuate the cowl neckline of her sparkling nude gown, while model Gabrielle Caunesil Pozzoli wore a Piaget pendant, adorned with a timepiece, emeralds and diamonds, draped dramatically between her shoulder blades. More examples of this type of styling were presented by actress Raya Martigny in Akillis Paris, and Thai actress Nychaa Nuttanicha, who opted for Cartier.

Let’s talk about some of the best male looks, starting with Colman Domingo. The actor wore the Art Deco-inspired Lavalliere brooch by Boucheron atop a striking purple shirt to one screening and followed this up with an octopus-inspired ear cuff, also by Boucheron, at Kering's Women in Motion dinner. More highlights include Keng Harit in a Chopard brooch, Noah Schnapp in a brooch by Chaumet, singer Robbie Williams in a larger-than-life timepiece brooch by Dolce & Gabbana, and Alexander Ludwig in three heritage brooches by Chaumet, dating from 1962. Of course, it wouldn’t be a red carpet event without the Tiffany & Co. Bird on a Rock brooch making an appearance. Thai actor Win Metawin wore two pieces, both set with aquamarines, to keep this jewellery tradition alive!

Ultimately, Cannes 2026 reaffirmed the festival’s importance within the high jewellery calendar. While Paris Haute Couture Week may remain the formal centrepiece, Cannes offers something arguably more influential: celebrity visibility combined with cinematic fantasy. This is where high jewellery maisons can demonstrate craftsmanship, creativity and the ability of a necklace, brooch or gemstone to create a viral online moment. Although this year’s best pieces were big and ostentatious, they will be remembered for highlighting the personality of their wearers. Think Demi Moore oozing ‘Old Hollywood’ glamour or Colman Domingo showcasing his now legendary style in quirky Boucheron jewels. High jewellery isn’t merely decorative, it’s performance art.