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It was in 1912 that the ship made its first Atlantic crossing. This voyage was to be a great feast but this crossing would come to a tragic end when the liner collided with a very large Iceberg. This collision caused the sinking of this luxurious ship and it is this tragedy that will give birth to the legend of the Titanic. This drama was the inspiration for many novelists but also for James Francis Cameron, director of the Titanic film which will become one of the biggest box office hits in Hollywood. All is not true to reality in the scenario of this film but one thing is certain: The Heart of the Ocean Necklace did exist!
When talking about the Heart of the Ocean pendant, reference is often made to the famous Hope diamond. This other legendary jewel is known under various names, including the Bleu de la Couronne or Bleu de France. Originally, this jewel was purchased by Louis XVI to complete his royal crown. This diamond disappeared during the French Revolution to then reappear later in the hands of Henri Hope. Here is the origin of the name of this blue diamond, which thus has nothing to do with the Heart of the Ocean!
The necklace of the Titanic is certainly the jewel around which the whole love story that took place on board of this boat revolved. This jewel was at the time a huge sapphire set as a pendant. It was around the neck of a young woman named Kate Phillips. This young saleswoman had received it as a gift from her lover Henry Morley to celebrate their new life that would begin when they arrived in America. The two young lovebirds had decided to leave England to start their new life together.
The crossing was going wonderfully when the bells of the lookouts suddenly began to ring. The bells signaled the presence of a huge Iceberg. Unfortunately, it was already too late for this mountain of ice, the collision was going to be violent and leave the ship's hull with no chance. The number of lifeboats would amplify the scale of the tragedy, leaving hundreds of shipwrecked people with no chance, coming into direct contact with the icy Atlantic water.
Henry was one of the many victims, but Kate was lucky enough to board one of the lifeboats. At the same time, she saved some personal belongings, including this fabulous jewel that was to be the symbol of this new love story that ended tragically. Kate was repatriated to England and the story, unfortunately, does not tell what became of her and what happened to this legendary jewel.
No one knows exactly which gems were present on the heart of the ocean. Some talk about a blue diamond, others about sapphire and even if Henry was the owner of several shops in England, no one knows the budget he had decided to devote to this necklace. The 1900s saw the first synthetic stones appear and it is, therefore, possible that this necklace was made from one of these gemstones made in a laboratory.
The romanticism present from the beginning to the end of this love story leads us to believe that this jewel was made with the noblest stones and materials of the time. However, no one has ever been able to confirm this hypothesis, and perhaps it is better this way. A myth or a legend must keep a part of the mystery and it will be thus also the case for the mythical necklace heart of the ocean!
The great success of this necklace motivated many jewelry designers to create their own version of the heart of the ocean. You will find among these replicas versions for all budgets. Some have used simple colored glass but other more prestigious designers have used zirconiums and even Swarovski crystal as one of the necklaces we offer in our jewelry store! It is important to know that the necklace that appears in the film was made from zirconium.
Following the keen interest that the film Titanic aroused among the public, the English jewelry designer Asprey & Garrard was entrusted with the creation of a version made from the most beautiful stones. A heart-cut sapphire was chosen to adorn this necklace, all illuminated by a halo of diamonds. Celine Dion was chosen to wear this creation of nearly one million dollars in public. Since its first appearance, this jewel has been preciously preserved at the Cornwall Museum.
