Culture & Style
How a Historic Cartier Diamond Necklace was Reimagined For Daphne Kluger in Ocean’s Eight
Anne Hathaway perfectly portrays A-list actress Daphne Kluger in Ocean’s Eight. But her co-star dazzles even brighter as the historic Cartier Toussaint necklace.
Written by: Beth Bernstein
May 7, 2025
A diamond necklace plays a pivotal role in the plot of Ocean’s Eight, an all female relaunch of the Ocean’s franchise which hit theaters in 2018. Anne Hathaway plays fictional actress Daphne Kluger, who is looking for the perfect jewel to complete her Met Gala ensemble.
With a star-studded cast including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, and Awkwafina, the film’s plot revolves around stealing a Cartier diamond necklace inspired by the legendary Tutti Frutti-era Toussaint necklace, originally designed by Jacques Cartier in 1931 for the Maharaja of Nawanagar. Cartier partnered exclusively with the production, recreating a modern version of the historic jewel specifically for the movie. As expected, the diamond jewelry in the movie is awe-inspiring.
Nearly six years later, a real-life homage to the same design made headlines on the actual Met Gala red carpet. Isha Ambani wore a breathtaking diamond necklace reminiscent of the original Toussaint creation—reportedly from her mother Nita Ambani’s private collection—reviving the glamour and grandeur of this storied piece for a new generation.
Ahead, discover the story behind the Toussaint necklace worn by Daphne Kluger—its storied origins, cinematic revival, and the lingering mystery of its current whereabouts.
Meet the Expert
- Beth Bernstein is a jewelry historian and author known for books like If These Jewels Could Talk and The Modern Guide to Antique Jewellery.
- She founded Bejeweled Magazine and Plan B Consulting, where she advises jewelry brands on strategy and storytelling.
- She is a contributing editor to publications including Forbes, The Jewellery Editor, and INSTORE, where she covers trends, design, and history.
Cartier enjoys a long legacy of providing jewels for the silver screen and creating pieces for high profile celebrity clients, particularly during Hollywood’s heyday. Therefore Cartier’s involvement, that also includes lending jewels from its Cartier Collection as well as new jewelry and watches, is a perfect match for the Warner Bros. film.
The Origin of Daphne Kluger‘s Necklace
Jacques Cartier designed the original necklace that inspired the one worn by Daphne Kluger in Ocean’s Eight back in 1931. Commissioned for the Maharaja of Nawanagar, it was described as “the finest cascade of colored diamonds in the world.” The central diamond was a 136.25 carat blue-white flawless gem, known as the Queen of Holland diamond. The necklace also consisted of a 12 carat green diamond and a number of large white and pink diamonds.
The Oceans Eight necklace was named the “Jeanne Toussaint,” as a tribute to the bold and independent creative director who was responsible for the identity and style of Cartier throughout the 1930s. Although the necklace no longer exists, Cartier was able to go back to its archives and used the original design drawing and photographs to recreate it for the film.
Due to the fact that it was originally created for a man, the scale had to be brought down to Anne Hathaway’s proportions and was perfectly fitted due to the expertise of Cartier’s High Jewelry workshop on Rue de la Paix in Paris for her character Daphne Kluger.
The master jewelers had eight weeks to create the Jeanne Toussaint necklace and replicated the diamonds with zirconium oxide—as a prop for the film—a natural material that was set into white gold.
The Toussaint Necklace: A Mysterious Gem
A question that arises right away is: what’s the backstory behind the authentic diamond Cartier necklace that inspired Daphne Kluger’s statement piece in Ocean’s Eight—and what happened to it?
It all began with the Queen of Holland Diamond, which was named by the Dutch firm F. Friedman & Co., owners of the diamond since 1904, after Her Majesty Queen Wilhelmina, the ruler of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948.
Prior to that, the diamond is somewhat of a mystery: There is no definitive information on the country and mine of origin, the original owners, or the date of discovery. What has been reported is that the piece, internally flawless with a slight bluish tint, first appeared in Amsterdam around the beginning of the 20th century.
The Maharaja of Nawanagar purchased the Queen of Holland from F. Friedman & Co. and brought it to Cartier, where he was a client. Jacques Cartier set the diamond as a pendant to a majestic ceremonial necklace host by the Prince.
After the Maharaja’s death in 1933, the necklace remained in the family until Cartier eventually bought it in 1960. Then, in 1978 William Goldberg purchased the diamond and re-cut it from 136.25 carats to its present weight of 135.92. The gem is now owned by Robert Mouawad.
As for the whereabouts of the rest of the diamonds, they were reportedly sold, but to whom and when is not publicly recorded.
Cartier created other pieces for the Maharaja, one of which was a Turban diamond Ornament set with the 61.50 carat Tiger Eye Diamond, which resides in the Al Thani collection.
Isha M. Ambani’s Take on the Toussaint Necklace
Isha M. Ambani attended the 2025 Met Gala an incredible necklace from her from her “personal jewelry collection” that immediately drew comparisons to Cartier’s legendary Toussaint necklace. Designed as a modern homage, the piece reportedly featured over 481 carats of diamonds and was custom-made to echo the grandeur and opulence of the original design created by Jacques Cartier.
With its lavish cascade of white and colored diamonds, the necklace served as both a nod to regal Indian heritage and a masterstroke of contemporary high jewelry. Its appearance at the Met Gala carried an added layer of symbolism: after all, the very same setting played host to the fictional Daphne Kluger—Anne Hathaway’s character in Ocean’s Eight.
Epic Movie Diamonds: Jewelry History, Famous & Fancy Colored Diamonds
In addition to Daphne Kluger’s breathtaking replica of the Toussaint necklace in Ocean’s Eight, Cartier provided a trove of diamond jewelry spanning different eras, lending the film its rich, historically inspired glamour. There is a diamond lavaliere necklace from Cartier Paris, circa 1906, which additional cast members can be seen wearing. Mindy Kaling shows a Cartier Collection suite of a diamond necklace with Palmette clip diamond brooches and ear clips Cartier Paris, 1958.
Once you’ve seen Ocean’s Eight and your interest in diamond jewelry in the movies takes off, you might want to check other movies where Cartier has played a relevant part of the plot, like Alfred Hitchcock’s Lifeboat (1944), in which Tallulah Bankhead plays chic columnist Connie Porter and wears a diamond bracelet that becomes “bait for fish;” or The Great Gatsby (1974), in which Mia Farrow as Daisy Buchanan wears a marquise-shaped Art Deco diamond engagement ring, among other jewels of the same era.
And who can forget Audrey Hepburn in How to Steal A Million (1966), where she showcases a lace mask and diamond earrings that climb up her lobe, or Grace Kelly in High Society (1956), who wore her own engagement ring from Prince Rainier?
From Jacques Cartier’s original 1931 masterpiece to its glittering Hollywood revival and modern-day homage on the Met Gala red carpet, the Toussaint necklace has become more than just a piece of jewelry—it’s a symbol of enduring glamour, intrigue, and craftsmanship. Whether worn by a fictional starlet like Daphne Kluger or a real-life fashion icon like Isha Ambani, the necklace continues to capture imaginations, proving that natural diamonds never go out of style.
