The Palme d’Or is the biggest honour at the Cannes but in 2022, the award itself has its moment in the spotlight with a special design marking Swiss jeweller Chopard’s 25 years of partnership with the film festival. 

Caroline Scheufele, co-president and artistic director of the company, is presenting a special edition Palme d’Or to mark the festival’s double anniversary and its long-term collaboration with Chopard. 

Details of the Palme d’Or design

Two of the golden palm leaves will be diamond-studded with gems coming from Responsible Jewellery Council-certified suppliers. One has 75 diamonds, to mark the 75th edition of the festival, while the other has 25, to mark its history with Chopard. 

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The Fairmined-certified 18-carat yellow gold Palme d’Or is placed on a rose quartz base, swapping out the traditional rock-crystal cushion. 

World’s first and only ethical film trophy 

The trophy has remained unchanged for a large part since 1998, but when Scheufele was tasked with redesigning it, she wanted to display that the ideology behind the prize had advanced with time. 

Hence, since 2014, Chopard’s commitment to luxury, while being civic-minded and environmentally conscious, has been reflected in the Palme d’Or being crafted in Fairmined certified gold. This makes it the world’s first and only ethical film trophy. 

Scheufele on the Palme d’Or 

Scheufele spoke about the design for Cannes 2022, saying “We wanted this year’s prize to convey our deep passion and dedication to this festival and to film, so we decided to pick a coloured stone that symbolizes love”, as per Variety. 

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She added, “This one-of-a-kind Palme d’Or is not only a trophy, but also a high jewelry creation featuring ethical Fairmined gold, precious materials and skilled craftsmanship”. 

Apart from designing the Palme d’Or, Chopard also has a separate prize, called the Trophée Chopard, which it started in 2001, to recognize up-and-coming actors showing promise in their field. This year’s godmother, or award presenter, is Julia Roberts.