RED CARPET JEWELRY

Chopard photo

Meg Ryan at Cannes in a pendant by Chopard that we can hardly see

Jewelry at Cannes

There was lots of jewelry at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. We wish we could see it all

By Bernadette Morra

The 2010 Cannes Film Festival and its parade of precious gems is over. But am I the only jewelry lover left wanting more?

This year's photos from the festival red carpet feature the usual full-length and waist-up shots of celebrities - which means that we can barely see their jewels. In searching for images for this website, I have to hunt for a close-up of a hand or an ear that is detailed enough to get a true gauge of the jewelry design and craftsmanship.

What I really require is a separate shot of the jewelry done in a studio with proper lighting by a photographer who specializes in jewelry.

But it's not like I can call up Chopard and ask to borrow a $2 million necklace so I can have it photographed. Especially when that necklace is on another continent.

We, the media, rely on jewelry houses to supply us with images. To a large degree we are limited in what we write about by the availability of images.

Jewelry photography is expensive and time-consuming. But there must be proper documentation of red carpet jewels for insurance purposes. So why not make them available?

Of all the diamond collars and drop earrings paraded at Cannes, only a handful were offered as off-figure photos.

I am sure the challenges in such circumstances are plentiful.

You and I might start shopping for a gown weeks or even months before a formal event. But red carpet dresses, shoes, handbags and jewels are all last minute decisions. And in the scramble to get a star dressed and groomed to perfection, providing jewelry photos for the press is probably not a priority.

But maybe it should be.

We jewelry lovers want to see jewelry.