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If you’re wondering what the necklace in the 1997 blockbuster Titanic is, it is called the ‘Heart of the Ocean’. The heart-shaped blue diamond necklace plays a silent leading role in the film and ultimately ends up at the bottom of the ocean. But did you know that this fictitious necklace is actually based on a piece of royal jewellery? Read on to learn all about what the blue Heart of the Ocean is and the appeal of heart of the ocean-inspired engagement rings and other jewellery.

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The Heart of the Ocean necklace in Titanic

The Titanic. The Heart of the Ocean jewellery plays a role in the film. – BAUNAT
The film tells the story of Jack and Rose, two people from wildly different backgrounds. They fall in love aboard the largest passenger liner in the world at that time, the Titanic, which was to take a route from England to America via France and Ireland in 1912. The rare blue diamond is used in the film to unjustly accuse Jack of theft, resulting in a tragic end to the film. The Titanic itself was last visited in 2005 in an expedition led by Victor Vescovo.

Why wasn't the Heart of the Ocean necklace in Titanic real?

In the film, the jewellery allegedly came from Louis XVI's crown. The precious stone was subsequently crafted into a 56-carat heart-shaped blue diamond in white gold and a colourless diamond setting. Had the 'Heart of the Ocean' been real, it would be valued at €300 million. For the motion picture, a zirconia and white gold version was made, worth €8000. To this day the prop is stored in the film studio's archives. Naturally, several replicas of the stunning blue Heart of the Ocean were made and sold after the film was released.
Inspired by the Heart of the Ocean, a 171 carat necklace with a real blue sapphire was crafted and ultimately sold for 1.4 million dollars
Gloria Stuart with the Heart of the Ocean necklace - BAUNAT
The necklace, designed by jewellers Asprey & Garrard, was worn by Celine Dion as well as the actress who played Rose as an old lady in the film Titanic, Gloria Stuart. That Heart of the Ocean is presently exhibited in a museum in Cornwall.
In reality, the necklace that holds the record for being the most expensive necklace in the world is the Mouawad L’Incomparable Diamond Necklace, which is valued at US $55 million and features the flawless 407.48-carat yellow diamond and a 229.52-carat white diamond necklace intertwined with 18-carat rose gold branches.

Which real item of jewellery was the Heart of the Ocean necklace based on?

The Hope Diamond, which the Heart of the Ocean is based on – BAUNAT
The Heart of the Ocean in the Titanic film is not a real piece of jewellery, but is hugely popular nonetheless. The jewellery is, however, based on a real diamond, the 45.52-carat Hope Diamond. The Hope Diamond is one of the world's most valuable diamonds; its worth is estimated at around 350 million dollars.
The most comparable diamond was a 56-carat diamond sold at Christies. This 56-carat diamond was worth up to £7.5 million.
The Hope Diamond was not on the Titanic when it sank; it was owned by Washington socialite, Mrs Evelyn McLean, who didn’t even set sail on the infamous ship. When she died in 1947, it was sold to pay off her debts.
The precious stone has its own narrative that is worthy of a film in itself. The story has it that the stone was cursed as it was stolen from an Indian statue of the goddess Sita. The stone has been housed at the Smithsonian Museum since 1958. At one time, the French king, Louis XIV also owned the Hope Diamond, or the Bleu de France, as it was also known by.

The appeal of blue diamond jewellery

Sapphire ring as an alternative to the Heart of the Ocean - BAUNAT
The unique colour of a blue diamond is truly compelling and many desire their own Heart of the Ocean engagement ring. Both the 'Hope Diamond' and the 'Heart of the Ocean' were encompassed by a halo, a circle of smaller diamonds to offset the brilliance to perfection. The colour is also very popular in an engagement ring, take for example Kate Middleton's sapphire ring she received from Prince William.

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BAUNAT necklace as an alternative to the Heart of the Ocean - BAUNAT
Blue looks spectacular in a necklace too. Just as the Hope Diamond and the Heart of the Ocean, a few of BAUNAT's sapphire necklaces are also encircled by a halo. The difference being they are a lot more affordable than those unique pieces.

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Why buy diamonds at BAUNAT?

Buying tailor-made jewellery is very easy at BAUNAT. Our experts help you design jewellery just as you want it, whether it’s a Heart of the Ocean engagement ring or a Hope diamond-inspired necklace. Once you have given the go-ahead, our experts will make an online 3D model, and then the actual item of jewellery. We always keep you up to speed, and you remain closely involved throughout the process.

Another reason to buy your diamond jewellery at BAUNAT is the price. Thanks to our unique approach whereby we procure our diamonds directly at source, you can purchase our jewellery up to 30-50% less expensive than at a jewellery shop.

However, lower prices do not mean we stint on quality, on the contrary in fact. At BAUNAT we work exclusively with the very best materials and craftspeople. Guaranteeing you an optimal price-quality ratio.

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Find Out More About Other Renowned Precious stones

You now know everything about the Heart of the Ocean, as well as a little about the Hope Diamond. However, there's more to tell about the latter, likewise about a few other renowned diamonds. Glean all you need to know in the following blogs.

Frequently asked Questions

What is the royal history of diamonds?

In the 13th century, an act of Saint Louis (Louis IX of France, 1214-70) established a sumptuary law that reserved diamonds for the king based on their rarity and value that was conferred to them at that time. From that moment onwards, diamonds began appearing in royal jewelry for both men and women. From the 17th century, they were also seen with the greater European aristocracy and the wealthy merchant class.

The earliest diamond-cutting industry is believed to have been positioned in Venice (Italy) somewhere around the 1330’s. It is estimated that diamond cutting found its way to Paris and Bruges around late 14th century and later to Antwerp.

By 1499, the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama discovered the sea route to the Orient around the Cape of Good Hope, providing Europeans an end-run around the Arabic impediment to the trade of diamonds coming from India. Goa, on India's Malabar Coast, was set up as the Portuguese trading center, and a diamond route developed from Goa to Lisbon to Antwerp.

Are diamonds rare?

Diamonds are actually quite rare. Also it is true that the process of extracting diamond is quite laborious (mines move many tons of dirt per carat of diamond found) and that gem-quality diamonds are relatively few (only about 1 in 1 million diamonds are quality one carat stones, only 1 in 5 million are 2-carat; and 1 in 15 million are 3-carat).

The prices of diamonds increase along with the inflation rate. In some periods, the demand is higher than the supply whilst in other periods this is reversed. In the end, there is always a balance.

What colour is a sapphire?

The sapphire is instantly linked to an intense sky-blue colour. In this colour, the gemstone is also the most beautiful and most valuable. But not all sapphires are blue. They exist in different colours, including yellow, purple and orange. All sapphires were formed from crystals of the mineral corundum. The presence of certain metals in the corundum determine the final colour of the sapphire .

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Fabienne Rauw