Margot Robbie’s display of the Margot Robbie Wuthering Heights jewelry during the 2024 press tour demonstrates an extraordinary blend of historical significance and artistic craftsmanship. As she promotes Wuthering Heights, the jewelry she wears not only enhances her appearance but also connects deeply with the novel’s legacy.
Authentic Victorian Mourning Jewelry Revived
At the London premiere of Wuthering Heights, Robbie wore a meticulously recreated bracelet originally commissioned by Charlotte Brontë to honor the deaths of her sisters. This piece, featuring locks of hair woven into a delicate braid, was crafted in partnership with the Brontë Parsonage Museum, British master goldsmiths McCarty London, and Wyedean Weaving, a firm located in Haworth, where the Brontës lived.
The bracelet’s construction involved replicating a rare diagonal plaiting technique, which was recreated using Wyedean’s century-old flat braiding machine, enabling an accurate reproduction of the hand-plaited original. The curator of the Brontë Parsonage Museum, Murray Tremellen, explained,
“The bracelet’s braid is not conventionally woven, but uses a rare diagonal plaiting construction. Although Wyedean adopted a mechanized process using its 100-year-old flat braiding machine, the result was an exact replica of the hand-plaited technique used approximately 175 years ago,”
adding valuable historical context to the piece.
Victorian mourning jewelry traditionally incorporated actual hair from loved ones, symbolizing remembrance and connection. Tremellen noted,
“Hair is one of the most durable parts of the human body; due to its high keratin content, it can survive for millennia if kept in dry conditions,”
and further emphasized,
“As such, it has long been invested with symbolic importance; snippets of hair had been exchanged as tokens of affection between friends or lovers for centuries before the Victorians.”
For this replica, the use of human hair was dismissed, and extensive trials with various fibers were necessary to achieve a convincing texture and color matching the original. Robin Wright, Managing Director of Wyedean Weaving, described the process:
“Using human hair was ruled out and time constraints prevented bespoke dye development. Instead, we carried out extensive trials using off-the-shelf yarns including silk, wool, cotton and synthetic fibers. A polyester-cotton blend provided the closest texture to human hair,”
explaining the technical challenge of replicating such a unique material.
The color and light interaction of the original bracelet’s braid, known as metamerism, complicated the work further. Wright added,
“It was particularly complex because the original hair bracelet has metameric properties, meaning the shade appears different in changing light. We ran 12 color trials using five different yarn shades, with each one taken back to the Parsonage for comparison with the original.”
The final product required 40 hours of production, six visits for close comparison, and 250,000 meters of thread to complete, evidencing the dedication to historical accuracy. The bracelet’s clasp features double garnets, which held symbolic meaning in the 19th century. Tremellen explained,
“There was a complex language of symbolism regarding precious and semi-precious stones in the 19th century,”
and highlighted that
“Garnets were believed to symbolize devotion, and this may be partly why they were chosen for this bracelet. Garnets are also the birthstone for the month of January; Anne Brontë had a January birthday.”
In tandem with the bracelet, Robbie’s custom Dilara Findikoglu dress incorporated dyed strands to reflect the memorial hair theme. The designer remarked in a press statement,
“As the hair jewelry holds memory and eternity, the dress is a symbol of the immortal story of Emily Brontë,”
reinforcing the emotional symbolism conveyed through both her attire and jewelry.
Lavish Diamonds Shine in Paris
For the Paris leg of the press tour, Margot Robbie adorned herself with champagne diamonds valued at over 100 carats, perfectly complementing her Chanel ballgown. Renowned jeweler Lorraine Schwartz designed a striking red velvet choker featuring a prominent old mine cut diamond surrounded by a halo of smaller stones, with a pear-shaped pendant adding elegant detail.
The accompanying ring alone contained 15 carats of exquisitely cut diamonds. According to Jonathan Pratt, Managing Director at Dawsons Auctioneers, the appeal of champagne diamonds is growing, favored for their unique warm hues. He remarked,
“Schwartz designs for A-list celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor, Beyonce and Kim Kardashian. In recent years, champagne diamonds have become increasingly more sought after, prized for their individuality and warm, nuanced tones — no two stones are ever the same,”
highlighting their distinctiveness.
Pratt estimated the necklace’s value, declaring,
“A necklace of this caliber, combining exceptional-colored diamonds with designer provenance and global media exposure, could reasonably be valued at $2.7 million to $4.1 million.”
He further emphasized the piece’s prestige, saying,
“These are pieces that sit comfortably alongside museum-grade jewels and private collections.”
Historic Gems and Hollywood Romance in Los Angeles
Margot Robbie’s appearance at the Los Angeles premiere featured a Schiaparelli gown paired with the legendary Taj Mahal Diamond mounted on a Cartier necklace. The heart-shaped pendant bears the inscription “Love is Everlasting” in Parsee script, along with the name Nur Jahan, the first recipient of this jewel gifted by her husband, Mughal Emperor Shah Jahangir.
The diamond’s journey continued as it was passed to their son, Shah Jahan, who gifted it to his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Following her death, the Taj Mahal mausoleum was commissioned, hence the diamond’s namesake. The piece later became part of a love story tied to Old Hollywood when actor Richard Burton gave it to Elizabeth Taylor on her 40th birthday in 1972.
Robbie also wore Taylor’s cape from the 1962 film Taming of the Shrew, which starred Burton, creating a multi-layered homage to legendary romantic and tragic narratives. Taylor’s estate stated,
“What makes Margot Robbie wearing Elizabeth Taylor’s Taj Mahal necklace and red cape so special for this occasion is not just the aura of Old Hollywood romance, but the love stories embedded in the items themselves,”
and further explained,
“Both the necklace and the cape are part of the story of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, a relationship defined by obsession, rupture, reunion, and emotions that refused to conform. In that way, it echoes Heathcliff and Catherine almost beat for beat. They also serve as symbols of Elizabeth’s passionate, free spirit. For a look that celebrates a story of love that lasts beyond lifetimes, the adornments are pure perfection.”
To complete this symbolic ensemble, Lorraine Schwartz crafted custom drop earrings boasting 38 carats of old-cut diamonds set in blackened bronzed gold. Robbie also wore a 19th-century ruby-and-diamond ring from Fred Leighton. Her manicure, created by Chanel nail artist Betina Goldstein, included real gemstones articulately arranged. Goldstein described her work, saying,
“The necklace has marquise diamonds and round rubies throughout, and this set was made to feel as if those jewels had fallen from the necklace and scattered delicately across her nails,”
reinforcing the theme of timeless elegance.
Symbolic Rings Reflect Deep Bonds
Before the press tour began, Margot Robbie and her Wuthering Heights co-star Jacob Elordi expressed their connection through matching custom-made gold rings. Designed by Cece Fein-Hughes of Cece Jewellery and gifted from Robbie to Elordi, these rings depict skeleton couples entwined with roses and thorns, inspired by the iconic film poster and emblematic of Heathcliff and Catherine’s passionate and tragic love.
Fein-Hughes explained the symbolism, stating,
“The rings symbolize Heathcliff and Catherine, and a love that transcends time. The skeletons are positioned exactly as they appear on the iconic film poster, entwined with roses and thorns, representing passion, beauty and heartbreak,”
and added,
“Engraved within is Emily Brontë’s timeless quote, ‘Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same,’ alongside C&H on either side, a quiet tribute to two characters, and two souls, bound together forever.”
These carefully crafted pieces contribute to an immersive experience that links Robbie’s appearance to Brontë’s enduring themes of love, loss, and eternal connection.
Significance of Historical and Artistic Choices
Margot Robbie’s deliberate selection of jewelry rooted in Victorian mourning traditions and imbued with narratives from English literature and historical royalty highlights the intricate relationship between fashion, history, and storytelling. The fusion of recreated heritage pieces with contemporary high jewelry from designers like Lorraine Schwartz presents a dialogue between the past and modern celebrity culture.
This thoughtful curation enriches the public’s understanding of Emily Brontë’s novel, creating a palpable and visual context for the film’s promotion. Moreover, the jewelry’s historical symbolism reflects the timeless nature of the story’s themes about love and devotion, further deepening the emotional impact on audiences.
As the press tour continues, Margot Robbie’s choices are likely to spark greater interest in jewelry as a form of narrative expression, inspiring both fans and collectors to explore the stories behind their adornments. This approach could encourage further collaboration between museums, artisans, and celebrities to preserve and revive meaningful historical craftsmanship in a modern setting.
