Heart of the Ocean
Encyclopedia
The Heart of the Ocean (also known as Le Cœur de la Mer) is the name of a fictitious blue diamond featured prominently in the 1997 film Titanic
.
's film. The necklace has recently been featured in many Titanic exhibits.
The idea of a blue diamond is also in the 1943 film version of Titanic
, where a blue diamond plays an important role in a love affair as well. In the film, the diamond was stolen and creates a dramatic break in a romantic relationship, this being a primary factor in the drama of the film.
set in white gold. The cost of the necklace was approximately $10,000. Today, it resides in Twentieth Century Fox's archives. They were also commissioned during the release in 1997 to make a real "Heart of the Ocean" necklace using the original design. The result was a platinum-set, 170 carats (34 g) heart-shaped Ceylon sapphire surrounded by a row of 65 round diamonds, totaling 36 carats (7.2 g). The necklace was valued at $3.5 million. It was sold at a benefit auction for the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund
and Southern California's Aid For AIDS
for $2.2 million, with the condition that Celine Dion
would wear it to the 1998 Academy Awards
ceremony. She sang the film's theme song "My Heart Will Go On
." The necklace now belongs to the daughter of a wealthy Asprey client.
During the same period, jeweler Harry Winston
used a 15 carats (3 g) blue diamond in his interpretation of the "Heart of the Ocean" necklace. This $20 million necklace was worn by Gloria Stuart
to the 1998 Academy Awards
.
Less expensive reproductions have also been available since the release of the film. The J. Peterman Company
made reproductions in 1997 when the film was released. Their necklace consisted of 137 Austrian crystals and a detachable, inauthentic "blue diamond" pendant packaged in a navy blue, hinged presentation box. Although no longer available through J. Peterman, high quality replica movie necklaces can be still be purchased online.
) searches for a necklace, which he believes to be within the wreck of the RMS Titanic. His hunch seems to be confirmed when his team salvages a drawing, dated the day the Titanic sank, in which a nude woman is portrayed wearing only the necklace. The necklace was fashioned from a large blue diamond worn by Louis XVI
. (Ironically, this very diamond happens to be the Hope Diamond
, which Lovett said is worth less than the Heart.) Shortly after his execution in 1793, the diamond disappeared and was recut into a heart-like shape, known as "The Heart of the Ocean". The story of the heart of the ocean is very like the story of the Hope Diamond
, except that the Hope Diamond was worn by Louis XIV in a royal necklace rather than a crown.
The woman in the picture, Rose DeWitt Bukater (now named Rose Calvert) (played by Gloria Stuart
and Kate Winslet
) contacts Lovett and is flown out to his recovery ship where she relates the story of her trip. She reveals that, although now known as Rose (Dawson) Calvert, she is in fact Rose Dewitt Bukater, a teenage girl believed to have perished in the sinking. Rose Dewitt Bukater's bullying fiancé Caledon Hockley (Billy Zane
) had bought the "Le Cœur de la Mer" necklace as a symbol of his love for her. Rose wore the necklace when Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio
) drew her nude, the very drawing that was later salvaged. When Rose and Jack return to her room after running around the ship fleeing Spicer Lovejoy, Cal's valet, he meets them outside the door and chastises them, taking hold of Jack's arm and stealthily dropping the necklace into Jack's coat undetected. As soon as they enter the room, they are confronted by Cal, who claims Jack has stolen the necklace. In a short search of Jack, the diamond is found in the coat he is wearing. Jack's pleas of innocence are thrown in doubt when it is discovered that he has "borrowed" the coat he is wearing to sneak into first class, and he is branded a thief.
Before the Titanic sinks, Cal puts his outer coat on Rose, faking a show of care for her, and failing to realize that the necklace was in its pocket. When the Titanic sinks, Rose is still wearing the coat. After being rescued from the water and traveling to New York City
, Rose discovers the necklace in the coat.
At the end of the film, Rose walks alone to the stern of the salvage ship and opens her hands to reveal the necklace, which she has kept all of her life. She lets the necklace fall from her hand and into the water above the wreckage of the Titanic.
Titanic (1997 film)
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
.
Origin
Historically, there was a blue sapphire pendant on the Titanic. It was given to RMS Titanic passenger Kate Florence Phillips by her married lover, Samuel Morley, as the pair fled to America to make a new life for themselves. Morley perished in the sinking, and it is believed that this tragic love story was the inspiration for James CameronJames Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
's film. The necklace has recently been featured in many Titanic exhibits.
The idea of a blue diamond is also in the 1943 film version of Titanic
Titanic (1943 film)
Titanic was a 1943 Nazi propaganda film made during World War II in Berlin by Tobis Productions for UFA, which was later banned from Nazi Germany by Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. The film used the sinking of the RMS Titanic as a setting for an attempt to discredit British and American...
, where a blue diamond plays an important role in a love affair as well. In the film, the diamond was stolen and creates a dramatic break in a romantic relationship, this being a primary factor in the drama of the film.
Original and reproductions
London based jewelers Asprey & Garrard created the necklace used during the filming with a blue cubic zirconiaCubic zirconia
Cubic zirconia is the cubic crystalline form of zirconium dioxide . The synthesized material is hard, optically flawless and usually colorless, but may be made in a variety of different colors. It should not be confused with zircon, which is a zirconium silicate...
set in white gold. The cost of the necklace was approximately $10,000. Today, it resides in Twentieth Century Fox's archives. They were also commissioned during the release in 1997 to make a real "Heart of the Ocean" necklace using the original design. The result was a platinum-set, 170 carats (34 g) heart-shaped Ceylon sapphire surrounded by a row of 65 round diamonds, totaling 36 carats (7.2 g). The necklace was valued at $3.5 million. It was sold at a benefit auction for the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund
Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund
The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund is an independent grant-giving foundation established in September 1997 after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, to continue her humanitarian work in the United Kingdom and overseas...
and Southern California's Aid For AIDS
Aid For AIDS
Aid For AIDS is a California-based nonprofit organization, founded in 1983 and dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by HIV disease.-Services:...
for $2.2 million, with the condition that Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
would wear it to the 1998 Academy Awards
70th Academy Awards
The 70th Academy Awards were noted for their high ratings and the 11 wins obtained by the Best Picture Titanic. Billy Crystal hosted the ceremony for the sixth time, and received an Emmy award for his performance....
ceremony. She sang the film's theme song "My Heart Will Go On
My Heart Will Go On
"My Heart Will Go On" is the theme song/love theme of the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic. With music by James Horner, lyrics by Will Jennings, and production by Simon Franglen, James Horner and Walter Afanasieff ,, it was recorded by Céline Dion...
." The necklace now belongs to the daughter of a wealthy Asprey client.
During the same period, jeweler Harry Winston
Harry Winston
Harry Winston was an American jeweler. He donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958 after owning it for a decade, and traded the Portuguese Diamond to the Smithsonian in 1963.-History:...
used a 15 carats (3 g) blue diamond in his interpretation of the "Heart of the Ocean" necklace. This $20 million necklace was worn by Gloria Stuart
Gloria Stuart
Gloria Frances Stuart was an American actress, activist, painter, bonsai artist and fine printer. Over a Hollywood career which spanned, with a long break in the middle, from 1932 until 2004, she appeared on stage, television, and film, for which she was best-known...
to the 1998 Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
.
Less expensive reproductions have also been available since the release of the film. The J. Peterman Company
The J. Peterman Company
The J. Peterman Company is a retail company that sells clothing and fashion accessories primarily through catalogs and the Internet.-History:...
made reproductions in 1997 when the film was released. Their necklace consisted of 137 Austrian crystals and a detachable, inauthentic "blue diamond" pendant packaged in a navy blue, hinged presentation box. Although no longer available through J. Peterman, high quality replica movie necklaces can be still be purchased online.
In the film
In the film, treasure hunter Brock Lovett (Bill PaxtonBill Paxton
William "Bill" Paxton is an American actor and film director. He gained popularity after starring roles in the films Apollo 13, Twister, Aliens, True Lies, and Titanic...
) searches for a necklace, which he believes to be within the wreck of the RMS Titanic. His hunch seems to be confirmed when his team salvages a drawing, dated the day the Titanic sank, in which a nude woman is portrayed wearing only the necklace. The necklace was fashioned from a large blue diamond worn by Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
. (Ironically, this very diamond happens to be the Hope Diamond
Hope Diamond
The Hope Diamond, also known as "Le bleu de France" or "Le Bijou du Roi", is a large, , deep-blue diamond, now housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. It is blue to the naked eye because of trace amounts of boron within its crystal structure, but exhibits red...
, which Lovett said is worth less than the Heart.) Shortly after his execution in 1793, the diamond disappeared and was recut into a heart-like shape, known as "The Heart of the Ocean". The story of the heart of the ocean is very like the story of the Hope Diamond
Hope Diamond
The Hope Diamond, also known as "Le bleu de France" or "Le Bijou du Roi", is a large, , deep-blue diamond, now housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. It is blue to the naked eye because of trace amounts of boron within its crystal structure, but exhibits red...
, except that the Hope Diamond was worn by Louis XIV in a royal necklace rather than a crown.
The woman in the picture, Rose DeWitt Bukater (now named Rose Calvert) (played by Gloria Stuart
Gloria Stuart
Gloria Frances Stuart was an American actress, activist, painter, bonsai artist and fine printer. Over a Hollywood career which spanned, with a long break in the middle, from 1932 until 2004, she appeared on stage, television, and film, for which she was best-known...
and Kate Winslet
Kate Winslet
Kate Elizabeth Winslet is an English actress and occasional singer. She has received multiple awards and nominations. She was the youngest person to accrue six Academy Award nominations, and won the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Reader...
) contacts Lovett and is flown out to his recovery ship where she relates the story of her trip. She reveals that, although now known as Rose (Dawson) Calvert, she is in fact Rose Dewitt Bukater, a teenage girl believed to have perished in the sinking. Rose Dewitt Bukater's bullying fiancé Caledon Hockley (Billy Zane
Billy Zane
William George "Billy" Zane, Jr. is an American actor, producer and director. He is probably best known for his roles as Caledon Hockley in Titanic, The Phantom from The Phantom, John Wheeler in Twin Peaks and Mr...
) had bought the "Le Cœur de la Mer" necklace as a symbol of his love for her. Rose wore the necklace when Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio is an American actor and film producer. He has received many awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Aviator , and has been nominated by the Academy Awards, Screen Actors Guild and the British Academy of Film and Television...
) drew her nude, the very drawing that was later salvaged. When Rose and Jack return to her room after running around the ship fleeing Spicer Lovejoy, Cal's valet, he meets them outside the door and chastises them, taking hold of Jack's arm and stealthily dropping the necklace into Jack's coat undetected. As soon as they enter the room, they are confronted by Cal, who claims Jack has stolen the necklace. In a short search of Jack, the diamond is found in the coat he is wearing. Jack's pleas of innocence are thrown in doubt when it is discovered that he has "borrowed" the coat he is wearing to sneak into first class, and he is branded a thief.
Before the Titanic sinks, Cal puts his outer coat on Rose, faking a show of care for her, and failing to realize that the necklace was in its pocket. When the Titanic sinks, Rose is still wearing the coat. After being rescued from the water and traveling to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Rose discovers the necklace in the coat.
At the end of the film, Rose walks alone to the stern of the salvage ship and opens her hands to reveal the necklace, which she has kept all of her life. She lets the necklace fall from her hand and into the water above the wreckage of the Titanic.
Alternate ending
Many of the deleted scenes from the film displayed Lovett's obsessive curiosity as to the whereabouts of the diamond during the course of Rose's story. In the alternate ending, Lovett and Lizzy, Rose's granddaughter, notice her walking along the deck, toward the stern of the ship. They notice her stepping on to the railing and quickly run to confront her. She shows them the diamond, dangling it over the rail threatening to drop it in order to keep them back. When questioned about having the necklace all this time, Rose admits that there were many times she thought of selling it, but refrained from doing so in order to live on her own without Cal's money. She allows Lovett to hold it in the palm of his hand, something he wanted to do since he first began the search for the gem, before flinging it overboard.In popular culture
- In The Suite Life on DeckThe Suite Life on DeckThe Suite Life on Deck is an American sitcom that aired on Disney Channel from September 26, 2008 to May 6, 2011. It is a sequel/spin-off of the Disney Channel Original Series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody...
, one episode focused entirely on a Titanic parody - "The Kidney of the Sea". - In the American Dad!American Dad!American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
episode "The Magnificent Steven", at one point Roger is "drawing you nude wearing the Heart of the Ocean" (referring to Hayley). - In the FuturamaFuturamaFuturama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
episode "A Flight to RememberA Flight to Remember"A Flight to Remember" is episode ten in the first production season of Futurama. It originally aired in North America on September 26, 1999 as the first episode in the second season. This episode was written by Eric Horsted and directed by Peter Avanzino. Dawnn Lewis guest stars in this episode...
" - a parody of Titanic - Bender's love interest owns an enormous diamond on a chain. When she is killed, the diamond is all Bender has to remind himself of her, but quickly loses interest when Hermes Conrad determines it to be a fake. - In the Britney SpearsBritney SpearsBritney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
music video "Oops! . . . I Did It AgainOops!... I Did It Again (song)"Oops!... I Did It Again" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears. The song was written and produced by Max Martin and Rami for Spears' second studio album, Oops!... I Did It Again . It was released on March 27, 2000 by Jive Records, as the first single from the album. "Oops!.....
," an astronaut gives the necklace to Britney, who says, "But I thought the old lady dropped it into the ocean in the end?" The astronaut replies: "Well baby, I went down and got it for you." - In The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "The Old Man and the 'C' Student", there is a parody scene in which Smithers is drawing Mr. Burns, as Jack drew Rose, on a yacht, in which he draws Mr. Burns in the nude wearing the necklace. - The NewsRadioNewsRadioNewsRadio is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from 1995 to 1999. The series was created by executive producer Paul Simms, and was filmed in front of a studio audience at CBS Studio Center and Sunset Gower Studios...
episode Sinking Ship is a parody of Titanic. Dave gives the necklace to Lisa for her birthday, who says, "It's a bit much."