Did Jeremy Allen White kick-start the animal jewellery trend? The Bear star wore a Van Cleef & Arpels charm to the Golden Globes – brands from Dior to Annoushka are doing wildlife bling too

May 29 , 2024

The vintage bear brooch by French jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels carried by Jeremy Allen White at the Golden Globes, where he won best actor in a TV series. Photos: Handout

Rihanna and Gigi Hadid are fans of Annoushka; other brands channelling nature’s appeal include Anna Hu, De Beers, Le Vian and Hannah Martin, modelling ladybirds, elephants, eagles, monkeys, crocs and more

Dior’s Victoire de Castellane depicts nature from Christian Dior’s country home Le Moulin du Coudret, while Anna Hu’s Formosa Magpie brooch is inspired by Giuseppe Castiglione, artist to three Qing dynasty emperors

When breakout star Jeremy Allen White picked up a Golden Globe for his role in everyone’s favourite chef drama, The Bear, he did so carrying a very apt and sentimental good luck charm.

Tucked in his suit pocket, the 33-year-old actor, who snagged the award for Best Actor in a Television Series, carried a little vintage bear brooch by French jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels. The delightful mid-century bauble, sourced from the New York fine jewellery atelier Briony Raymond, is sculpted in yellow gold and features 3.24 carats of yellow sapphires, diamonds and emerald eyes.

While Allan’s secret brooch flew under the radar, hidden away for the entirety of the star-studded affair, it speaks to the wider popularity of animal motifs in jewellery right now. More specifically, the fun and whimsical, yet glamorous bejewelled fauna that has been taking over the high and fine jewellery space as designers look to bugs, birds and creatures of the seas and lakes for their most personal and playful creations.

Annoushka 18k yellow gold and ruby Ladybird Locket

One of London’s most prominent jewellers and a favourite of Rihanna and Gigi Hadid, Annoushka Ducas has been championing animal jewellery since 2009 with vibrant talismans that replicate wildlife from across the globe. Some of her most popular charms include the Ladybird locket, handcrafted in yellow gold and studded with 157 gemstones, including rubies, pink sapphires and black diamonds. A symbol of good luck inspired by one of Ducas’ own vintage amulets, the spotted beetle opens up to reveal a secret stash for storing away mementoes.

Annoushka 18k yellow gold Baby Elephant charm

Other charms in Ducas’ jungle include Edgar the baby elephant, inspired by a family trip to the Elephant Watch Camp in Northern Kenya, and complete with moving head, legs and tail; as well as Monty the monkey, a charming miniature handset with 283 brown diamonds, ebony and “lemon” quartz. The most recent addition to Annoushka’s genderless offering takes the form of a pink sapphire flamingo, designed in collaboration with luxury e-tailer Mr Porter in yellow gold with black diamond eyes.

For a haute take in rainbow stones, look to Anna Hu, the European-based Asian high jewellery designer whose one-of-a-kind creations have been donned by the likes of Madonna, Oprah Winfrey and Gwyneth Paltrow, and who works exclusively with French-trained artisans. Hu’s Victoria brooch pays homage to the grace and form of the butterfly, which she has imagined in a melody of opals, sapphires, garnets and diamonds. Her Formosa brooch, meanwhile, is a careful recreation of the songbirds painted by celebrated 18th century Italian Giuseppe Castiglione, artist to three Qing dynasty emperors. Here, a pair of birds, set with twinkling diamonds, sing together beside an egg formed from a single conch pearl.

Clockwise from top left, De Beers Forces of Nature Buffalo Crown ring, Zebra Jacket ring, Elephant Crown ring and Giraffe Crown ring