Sandra‘s Closet

The collaboration between Chopard and the Cannes Film Festival turns 15 this year, and once again, the Swiss jewelry and watch brand is set to prove that its precious creations sparkle as brightly as the movie stars who wear them. Reflecting the number of editions of the famous movie festival, this year’s Chopard Red Carpet collection comprises 65 creations by Caroline Scheufele, Co-President and Artistic Director of Chopard.

For this oustanding one-of-a-kind collection, she has chosen to work with stones such as rubies, emeralds, padparadscha sapphires, tanzanite, and kunzite –without forgetting diamonds, which Caroline Scheufele proclaims as “my favourite stone and an indispensable ally for women on the red carpet”.

As for me, one of the most standout pieces is the apple ring that is adorned by 800 tsavorites and more than 200 brown diamonds totalling 57.2 carats. So delectable with a deliciously tangy radiance, Chopard is taking the Big Apple literally, bound to draw all eyes.

Below, you can see the making of, from the sketch to the final product.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chopard and © Sandra Bauknecht

Thursday night, the Trophée Chopard in partnership with Variety Magazine at the Martinez Hotel took place. Each year at the Cannes Film Festival, Chopard rewards the talent of two young actors. And the Swiss jewelry and watch brand seems to have a good nose for their awardees. Many gifted performers, such as Marion Cotillard, Léa Seydoux, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Diane Kruger and Gael Garcia-Bernal, have received the Trophée Chopard before.

The exceptional patron in the person of Sean Penn honoured this year’s rising stars, Shailene Woodley for her co-starring (and Golden Globe-nominated) role in The Descendants and Ezra Miller for his performance in We Need to Talk About Kevin, with a beautiful laudatory speech.

Shailene looked radiant in her black silk devore velvet gown combined with the strappy ‘The Egrette’ sandals, both from Jason Wu‘s F/W 2012 runway collection

Ezra Miller gave a very moving thank you speech.

The awardees, Shailene Woodley and Ezra Miller, to the left with Sean Penn and Caroline Scheufele, Co-President and Artistic Director of Chopard, to the right.

After the award presentation, we went upstairs to the Chopard Lounge where the amazing highly exclusive (by invitation only) after party for around 200 guests took place. The terrace was filled with celebrities and we danced until dawn.

Caroline Scheufele in a peach-coloured long gown by Emilio Pucci and Chopard jewelry with me

Eva Herzigova in Alexander McQueen with Bérénice Béjo wearing a pretty polka-dot dress with a cinched waist and paired  with a pair of glittering Chopard pearl earrings, of course.

Bérénice Béjo with me

Lana Del Rey in an ivory single-breasted suit by Moschino.

Very sweet Shailene Woodley with me.

Awardee Ezra Miller with me

Famous Spanish actress Paz Vega and face of L’Oréal Spain in a sequined dress from Giorgio Armani‘s S/S 2012 runway collection that reflected the light interestingly and Chopard jewelry with me.

Chinese actress and singer Fan Bingbing with me. Her forest-green fully embellished gown with a plunging neckline by Elie Saab that gave all the attention to her sensational Chopard jewelry looked stunning on her.

L.A.-based film producer, movie studio chairman and co-founder of Miramax Films Harvey Weinstein with me. He came without his wife Georgina Chapman, who is the founder of Marchesa.

Highlight of the night was Lana Del Rey‘s amazing performance. I love “Video Games”…
The singer is amazingly sweet and charming to talk to.

Lana’s necklace from Chopard’s Red Carpet Haute Joaillerie collection, is a one-of-kind piece that is original, unexpected with a tinge of humour. Composed of pink rubellites, diamonds and onyx, it has a maximum magnitude, brilliance and fire.

Lana Del Rey, Caroline Scheufele, Marion Cotillard and Ezra Miller

Eva Herzigova and Sean John Combs (P.Diddy)

This was such an amazing night! I truly love my job! Stay tuned for a detailed post on my look coming up soon.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Very funny, last Friday, Eva Herzigova wore the exact same Prada outfit to the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Chopard‘s new remodeled boutique at the Croisette in Cannes that I had worn one day before at the Hotel Martinez. Now, I know why she was staring at me in surprise…

For the previous post with all details on the look, please click here.

Caroline Scheufele (to the left), Co-President and Artistic Director of Chopard, looked beautiful in her printed silk-satin top and pastel pants, both by Emilio Pucci.

LoL, Sandra

Photo: Courtesy of Chopard and © Sandra Bauknecht

The 65th annual Cannes Film Festival commemorates Marilyn Monroe on the 50th anniversary of her death, featuring her on the festival’s posters. Festival sponsor Chopard pays tribute to Marilyn Monroe‘s most memorable movie moment, her famous performance of “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” in the 1953 musical comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes with a diamond necklace in honour of the blonde bombshell’s object of affection in the film, featuring almost 200 carats of diamonds.

On this occasion, the Swiss jewelry and watch brand exhibits “Marilyn Forever”, 25 unpublished images, captured by frequent Monroe photographer Milton H. Greene, previewed in the Chopard Lounge at Hotel Martinez. After the festival, it will travel to Chopard boutiques around the world alongside with the Monroe-inspired “Tribute Set”.

Eva Herzigova wore the Marilyn Monroe Tribute set from the Red Carpet collection composed of a necklace in 18-carat white gold set with beads diamonds (151.64 cts), heart shaped diamonds (30.72 cts) and diamonds (18.53cts) with matching earrings on the Cannes Film Festival’s opening night.

I was able to explore this stunning tribute jewelry creation designed by Caroline Scheufele closely at the Chopard lounge. It is truly breathtaking.

Diamonds and glamour: Marilyn Monroe and Chopard were destined to cross paths. Below you can see how the tribute set was created, a piece of art and craftsmanship.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chopard, © Getty Images and © Sandra Bauknecht

For the Cannes Film Festival 2012’s opening night, the who’s who of Hollywood came down to the Côte d’Azur. Here are the best dressed ladies of this amazing night. Enjoy!

Jury member Diane Kruger looked amazing in a mint green sheer couture gown by Giambattista Valli.

Eva Longoria wore a flowing, feathered train gown by Marchesa in which she had quite some problems walking on the red carpet.

American singer Lana Del Rey was wearing a classy black long dress by Alberta Ferretti that gave all the attention to the 18-carat white gold necklace set with a 31 carats yellow pear-shaped diamond by Chopard.

Eva Herzigova, the Czech model, was wearing a lace gown by Dolce Gabbana combined with the Marilyn Monroe Tribute set from the Red Carpet collection composed of a necklace in 18-carat white gold set with beads diamonds (151.64 cts), heart shaped diamonds (30.72 cts) and diamonds (18.53cts). Earrings en suite. All by Chopard.

Actress Tilda Swinton, who stars in Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom, wore a bronze gown by her fashion friend, designer Haider Ackermann.

Slumdog Millionaire actress Freida Pinto wore a strapless beaded bodice gown, with a peplum pink satin skirt by Michael Angel, accessorized by Chopard jewelry.

The legendary Jane Fonda, wearing Chopard jewelry, looked absolutely stunning at 74  in a form-fitting metallic gown from Stella McCartney‘s new evening collection I saw her during the day at the Chopard lounge and was overwhelmed by her charisma.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: ©VALERY HACHE/AFP/GettyImages, ©Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images, ©Rex, ©Lia Toby / WENN

On Wednesday evening, the opening night of the 65th Cannes Film Festival (May 16  to May 27, 2012), I was invited by Chopard to this year’s first “Montée des Marches” at the Palais des Festivals. (Each night there is the legendary black tie “Montée des Marches”, the famous red-carpet, by invitation only, where the 22 films in competition are screened.)

It is an amazing feeling to climb up those famous steps, the stairway to heaven. There are hundreds of people waiting behind the barriers to spot their favourite celebrities. The minute I got out of the limousine, I was absolutely speechless and full of emotions.

My look: Gown by Roberto Cavalli, fur stole by Blumarine, Pyramide bag by Prada (In case you are wondering why I didn’t choose a little clutch, I wanted to take my big camera with me.), earrings by Chanel, ring by Dior Haute Joaillerie and Lady Excalibur watch by Roger Dubuis.

This year, the Cannes Film Festival kicked off with the screening of Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom.

Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, the movie centers around two young kids (Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward) who fall in love, and run away together into the wilderness, but the adult cast is pretty well-stacked in the acting department, featuring Hollywood stars like Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman.

Personally speaking, I am not the biggest Wes Anderson fan, but I have truly liked that movie. It is different and moving, featuring the best of Anderson’s iconic comedy whimsy. Moonrise Kingdom will be released later this month.

Bérénice Béjo, the Artist star, hosted the opening ceremony in a stunning gown by Louis Vuitton that blended in well with the red carpet. She introduced the audience to this year’s president Nanni Moretti and his A-list jury that includes Diane Kruger, Jean Paul Gaultier, Alexander Payne, Ewan McGregor, Raoul Peck, Hiam Abbas and Emmanuelle Devos.

During the 12-day movie marathon, they will choose from 22 competition titles to give out the coveted Palme d’Or prize on May 27.

Beth Ditto opened the festival with an amazing performance of ‘Candle In The Wind’.

Very funny, the famous singer was hurrying to get a photo with the jury:

Stay tuned for my best-dressed list of this night!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

At the Cannes Film Festival, the Palme d’Or is awarded to the winner of the Best Film category every year.

Caroline Scheufele, Co-President and Artistic Director of Chopard, redesigned the prestigious trophy in 1998 – a delicately curved 18ct gold stem with a small heart at its base, reminiscent of the symbol of the firm. The stem is adorned with leaves appearing to have been caught in mid-motion and it rests on a crystal cushion shaped like an emerald-cut diamond. This precious detail makes each Palme d’Or unique, for Mother Nature never creates two identical crystals…

In 2000, the symbolic object was joined by two additional Palmes, identical replicas of the Palme d’Or only smaller. They are presented every year to the Best Actress and Best Actor staring in a competing movie. In 2011, the Palme d’Honneur, previously awarded sporadically, has become a yearly tradition. This sister to the Palme d’Or, mounted on a smoked crystal, is from then on awarded every year at the beginning of the Festival to an important director never before honoured in Cannes. All these trophies are hand crafted every year in the workshops of Chopard by its craftsmen. Please enjoy those beautiful photos of the making of the Palme d’Or.

LoL, Sandra

Wax Sculpting Step 1

Wax Sculpting Step 2

Opening of the Mould

Investment Casting Step 1

Investment Casting Step 2

Investment Casting Step 3

Palme d’Or Casting

Cleaning

Flame Polishing

Second Cleaning

Setting on Crystal

Photos: Courtesy of Chopard

Yesterday, I left for the Cannes Film Festival, a truly amazing adventure for me. I am invited by the famous Geneva-based watch and jewelry company Chopard, the official partner of the Cannes Film Festival for the 15th consecutive year.

The Palme d’Or, created every year since 1998 by Chopard’s craftsmen

In 1998, the President of the Festival asked Caroline Scheufele, Co-President and Artistic Director of Chopard, to redesign the prestigious trophy, the Palme d’Or. Ever since, Chopard and the Cannes Film Festival have remained inseparable.

Caroline Scheufele drawing the Palme

You can see the details of my look on the arrival day below.
Printed satin-jersey harem pants by Balmain (please click here for a post on the print pants trend), white T-shirt by J.Crew, collarless leather jacket and studded Pyramide bag, both by Prada, black shopping bag by Chanel, studded ballet flats by Gucci and printed skull scarf by Alexander McQueen.

Stay tuned for some amazing photos of the opening ceremony last night. I could totally get used to walking on the red carpet. What an amazing event! Now, I am off to new adventures…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chopard and © Sandra Bauknecht

During my visit to the Baselworld 2012, the world watch and jewelry show, I came across some very amazing creations that I would love to share with you.

One that has absolutely overwhelmed me with its beauty is Chopard‘s High Jewelry collection “Precious Temptations”. Jewelry gourmets are in for a treat! Chopard has concocted a banquet of sweet delights, freely combining the most precious stones with more unusual gems to create a scrumptious array of pink sapphires, amethysts, rubellites, tsavorites, tourmalines and opals.

This delicious collection of eye candy appoints one of the biggest S/S 2012 fashion trends – pastel – as the master of ceremonies, inviting the most exquisite colours to its dessert buffet.

Bon appétit!

LoL, Sandra

Necklace in 18ct white gold set with diamonds, a cushion-cut peridot (5.6cts) and a pear-shaped amethyst of 32.7cts – Ref. 819158-1001
Earrings in 18ct white gold set with diamonds, 2 cushion-cut peridots (11.4cts) and 2 pear-shaped amethysts of 38.3cts – Ref. 849158-1001

Earrings in 18ct white gold set with diamonds and composed of 2 briolettes aquamarines (25.4cts) and 2 oval-shaped tanzanites of 13.7cts – Ref. 849151-1001

Ring in 18ct white gold set with diamonds, 2 half-moon shaped diamonds and an emerald-cut tanzanite of 12cts – Ref. 820621-1001

Ring in 18ct white gold set with emeralds, 2 heart-shaped pink sapphires and a heart-shaped emerald of 31.3cts – Ref. 820614-1001

Earrings in 18ct white gold set with emeralds, 4 pear-shaped pink sapphires and 2 heart-shaped emeralds of 21.7cts and 23.7cts – Ref. 840379-1001

Earrings in 18ct rose gold composed of 2 drop shaped amethysts for a total of 63cts, 2 fancy-cut toumalines (14.4cts), 8 torumalines beads (11.2cts), 2 fancy-cut morganites and diamonds – Ref. 849154-1001

Long necklace in 18ct rose gold composed of tourmaline beads (116cts), opals (139cts), amethysts (45cts), morganites (13cts) and diamonds – Ref. 819154-1001

Photos: Courtesy of Chopard and © Sandra Bauknecht