AVAKIAN: Celebrating 50 Years at the Cannes Film Festival

May 24, 2019

By Katerina Perez

6 min read

The Cannes Film Festival is an important event in the calendar of the Swiss jewellery brand AVAKIAN. For seven years running Edmond Avakian and his son Haig have participated in the cinematic event of the year. The 2019 festival was even more special because this year the brand celebrates a special anniversary: its 50th. In addition to expanding already existing collections, AVAKIAN has released several new lines which sparkled almost every evening on the red carpet in Cannes.

I went to the film festival for the first time 2 years ago on the invitation of AVAKIAN and told you about how the stars prepared for their ceremonial entrance taking famous model Sarah Sampaio as an example. This year I had the opportunity to spend time with Thai actress Pechaya Wattanamontree. For her appearance on the red carpet, she chose a unique AVAKIAN necklace with a 40 carat heart-shaped Colombian emerald, diamonds and sapphires that perfectly complemented Pechays’s light blue dress by Ali Karoui.

Pechaya Wattanamontree in AVAKIAN necklace with Haig Avakian and co-starring actors

Pechaya Wattanamontree in AVAKIAN necklace with Haig Avakian and co-starring actors

When the actress saw the necklace, she was fascinated by its design as well as interested in its value. “I have noticed that with Asian stars the value of jewellery they wear on the red carpet is as important as the beauty of the piece. It is all about making a lasting impression,” Haig tells me. After putting on the necklace, Pechaya tried on a pair of matching earrings but decided not to wear them so as not to distract attention from the main piece. That made me think that gorgeous parures are actually no longer considered trendy. This is evident in the pictures of various celebrities not only at Cannes but also at many previous high-profile events.

Pechaya Wattanamontree wearing AVAKIAN necklace with 40ct heart shaped Colombian emerald, diamonds and sapphires

Pechaya Wattanamontree wearing AVAKIAN necklace with 40ct heart shaped Colombian emerald, diamonds and sapphires

 Pechaya Wattanamontree wearing AVAKIAN necklace with 40ct heart shaped Colombian emerald, diamonds and sapphires

Pechaya Wattanamontree wearing AVAKIAN necklace with 40ct heart shaped Colombian emerald, diamonds and sapphires

 Pechaya Wattanamontree wearing AVAKIAN necklace with 40ct heart shaped Colombian emerald, diamonds and sapphires

Pechaya Wattanamontree wearing AVAKIAN necklace with 40ct heart shaped Colombian emerald, diamonds and sapphires

 Pechaya Wattanamontree wearing AVAKIAN necklace with 40ct heart shaped Colombian emerald, diamonds and sapphires

Pechaya Wattanamontree wearing AVAKIAN necklace with 40ct heart shaped Colombian emerald, diamonds and sapphires

 Pechaya Wattanamontree wearing AVAKIAN necklace with 40ct heart shaped Colombian emerald, diamonds and sapphires

Pechaya Wattanamontree wearing AVAKIAN necklace with 40ct heart shaped Colombian emerald, diamonds and sapphires

Two big trends that we have noticed over the years is that nowadays celebrities gravitate towards colour in jewellery and many of them step away from wearing only big industry names. More and more actresses and models support niche brands like ours to highlight their personality and uniqueness. – Haig Avakian

Pechaya Wattanamontree wearing AVAKIAN earrings and necklace with 40ct heart shaped Colombian emerald, diamonds and sapphires

Pechaya Wattanamontree wearing AVAKIAN earrings and necklace with 40ct heart shaped Colombian emerald, diamonds and sapphires

As I watched the retrospective video in AVAKIAN’s Cannes showroom, I realised that in the 7 years of the brand’s presence at the film festival, fashion choices have also greatly evolved. Fewer and fewer stars appear on the red carpet in classic elegant evening gowns. Instead they try to stand out from the crowd and do it their own way.

Stars (from left to right) Toni Garrn, Aishwarya Rai, Praya Lundberg and Sririta Jensen, all wearing AVAKIAN jewellery on the Cannes red carpet

Stars (from left to right) Toni Garrn, Aishwarya Rai, Praya Lundberg and Sririta Jensen, all wearing AVAKIAN jewellery on the Cannes red carpet

Thai actress Sririta Jensen arrived at a gala evening in a lush petal-layered pink dress and AVAKIAN flower jewellery set made of white gold with pink sapphires and diamonds. Actress Praya Lundberg appeared on the red carpet in a tight red dress with gold pins by Versace and an AVAKIAN ring and earrings from the new Tosca collection. German supermodel Toni Garrn looked simply irresistible in a red-purple dress with a train by Ralph and Russo paired with amethyst and diamond earrings by AVAKIAN from the Gatsby collection.

AVAKIAN high jewellery toi&moi earrings with custom cut buff top rubies, mother of pearl and accenting diamonds

AVAKIAN high jewellery toi&moi earrings with custom cut buff top rubies, mother of pearl and accenting diamonds

 AVAKIAN high jewellery ring with marquise cut diamond, buff top rubies, mother of pearl and accenting diamonds

AVAKIAN high jewellery ring with marquise cut diamond, buff top rubies, mother of pearl and accenting diamonds

Aishwarya Rai looked utterly spectacular in a snow-white dress as well as a ring and earrings from Cache collection which were completely encrusted with colourless and black diamonds. By the way, I was wearing this ring to the Chopard and Empire party two days before Aishwarya and I did not want to part with it! After that, Haig started joking that I brought him good luck, because the behemoths that are Chopard and Boucheron had also fought to dress the Indian actress with their jewellery that evening, but she chose AVAKIAN.

AVAKIAN La Mystérieuse collection earring and ring with green tsavorites, diamonds and black onyx

AVAKIAN La Mystérieuse collection earring and ring with green tsavorites, diamonds and black onyx

Now, let’s digress from the red carpet and have a look at some new jewelled releases from the Swiss brand. Making transformable pieces has long been at the core of the brand’s philosophy and the new collections of La Mysterieuse and Tosca are proof of that. They consist of rings and earrings with drops that can be flipped over to create a new look.

AVAKIAN La Mystérieuse collection ring with agate, colourless and cognac diamonds

AVAKIAN La Mystérieuse collection ring with agate, colourless and cognac diamonds

 AVAKIAN La Mystérieuse collection ring and transformable earring with agate, colourless and cognac diamonds

AVAKIAN La Mystérieuse collection ring and transformable earring with agate, colourless and cognac diamonds

“We do not include as many necklaces in our collections as we did before. Over the years we have noticed that clients wear more rings and earrings as well as various bracelets, so we decided to focus on them in our new collections,” comments Haig on La Mysterieuse and Tosca. Even new high jewellery pieces with the mosaic of polished rubies and mother of pearl were made only into earrings and rings. These were a tribute to the brand’s past, when, 30 years ago, Edmond Avakian used to create various types of jewellery with polished stones set facet to facet next to each other.

AVAKIAN Gatsby collection bracelets with pearls, diamonds, enamel and custom-cut amethysts or green tourmalines

AVAKIAN Gatsby collection bracelets with pearls, diamonds, enamel and custom-cut amethysts or green tourmalines

Last but not least novelty is the extension of Gatsby collection that now includes wide bracelets which are made in Art Deco style. This artistic movement originated in the 1920s and seems to never go out of fashion. Both bracelets are embellished with pearls in several rows, diamonds and a scaly white enamel around the two custom-cut amethysts or green tourmalines that meet one another in the centre.

AVAKIAN Tosca earrings with the drops that can be worn with diamond or plain gold facing outwards

AVAKIAN Tosca earrings with the drops that can be worn with diamond or plain gold facing outwards

The Cannes Film Festival continues until the 25th May and it is highly likely that AVAKIAN will dress several other celebrities in its jewellery. If you do not want to miss this, follow the brand on Instagram: @avakian_official for updates.

Harakh Mehta: “I Want to Put Joy Back Into Jewellery”

continue reading

Beauty of Beginnings: Exploring the Potential of Paper with Katerina Perez

If you are optimistic by nature, you may look at a blank sheet of paper and see limitless opportunities for creativity. Recently, my friend and visual artist Ksenia Usacheva approached me about a new ‘blank canvas’ inspired editorial project, incorporating reams of white paper, brushstrokes of colourful paint, and beautiful high jewellery.

by Ksenia Usacheva

Haute Couture 2025: Stepping Inside ‘Caroline’s Universe’ with the Chopard Red Carpet Collection

Let's take a closer look at some of Caroline Scheufele's latest colourful adornments, including our 10 favourite pieces.

by Sarah Jordan

Beauty Shapes Tomorrow: Nouvel Héritage Unveils High Jewels for 10th Anniversary

For French brand Nouvel Héritage, the time has come to unveil its debut suite of five high jewellery creations, each one an ode to its iconic Mood and Latch collections, as well as the soon-to-be-launched Try Me line.

by Sarah Jordan

Incomparable Artistry: The Legendary Story of Beverly Hills Jewellery Designer Martin Katz 

This formidable Californian jeweller has spent decades sourcing the finest coloured gemstones, creating one-of-a-kind jewels, and dressing famous celebrities. Let me tell you more about an incomparable jewellery tour de force…

by Sarah Jordan

Prophecy and Poetry: The Story Behind My Bespoke Pendant by El’eeté Jewellery

Sometimes universal forces align to put the right person in your path at the perfect time. That was absolutely the case when one of my Instagram followers, Elvira Iurova, the Founder of El’eeté Jewellery, contacted me to introduce her unique bespoke jewellery concept.

by Katerina Perez

Haute Couture 2025: The Most Impressive Flower High Jewels that Bloomed in Paris

Floral jewels have long been a hallmark of high jewellery, but at this year’s Haute Couture presentations in Paris, designers approached the motif with renewed focus and technical ambition. Here, we spotlight the standout floral creations from the 2025 shows.

by Joshua Hendren

Haute Couture 2025: Celebrating 20 Years with the Messika Terres d’Instinct High Jewellery Collection 

Let’s take a closer look at the collection, including some of its neckwear highlights, and discover its romantic inspirations…

by Sarah Jordan

Haute Couture 2025: Exploring the Debut High Jewellery Collection of Sahag Arslanian

This July’s Haute Couture Week in Paris was marked with the exciting launch of a new high jewellery brand that bears the name of its founder. Third-generation diamantaire Sahag Arslanian presented his inaugural series of high jewels, drawing inspiration from the power of the sun and the cosmic world.

by Katerina Perez

Haute Couture 2025: Boucheron Explores Shades of Grey with the Impermanence High Jewellery Collection 

With its Carte Blanche High Jewellery collections, Boucheron's Creative Director Claire Choisne has the power to explore whatever fantastical avenue she pleases, which in 2025 centres on flowers and the natural world.

by Sarah Jordan

Haute Couture 2025: The Unconventional Lines of the Vhernier Ardis High Jewellery Collection 

Let's take a closer look at the pieces that launched at Paris Haute Couture week, including the sculptural necklaces we simply couldn't leave without photographing.

by Sarah Jordan

Haute Couture 2025: The 70s Depths of the Piaget Shapes of Extraleganza High Jewellery Collection

Through the Piaget Society, a circle of artists, collectors and freethinkers, the Maison helped shape the cultural zeitgeist of the 1970s.

by Claire Roberts

Haute Couture 2025: The Gentle Flutter of Mikimoto Les Pétales High Jewellery

Let’s take a closer look at some of the aristocratic highlights of this latest Mikimoto offering…

by Sarah Jordan

Latest Stories

Add articles and images to your favourites. Just

Elevated Expression:Examining The Jade Dynasty Collection by Austy Lee

Let's hear what he has to say on China's most emblematic mineral…

by Sarah Jordan

Jewels Katerina Perez Loves

Continue Reading

In Conversation:Discussing Paraiba - The Legacy of a Color

with Vogue Singapore

by Katerina Perez

Jewellery Insights straight to your inbox

Style Guide

By using this website, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Privacy Policy for more information.