The origins of the prestigious Palme d’Or award go back to the distant past – to 1954, when the organizers of the Cannes International Film Festival, seeking to change the appearance of the sign with a palm branch, held a competition among leading jewelers. Lucienne Lazon won with her concept: a palm branch rising on a terracotta podium, which became a symbol of triumph and art.
At the beginning of the 20th century (1902), the French master Thierry de Bourqueneuil revolutionized the design of the Palme d’Or. He replaced the traditional clay base with an elegant crystal pedestal, created with exceptional attention to handcraft.
In 1997, Caroline Scheufele, artistic director and co-president of Chopard, took on the rethinking of the legendary award. She kept the palm branch as the central idea, but filled it with dynamics and volume, and also gave the base the shape of a heart – the brand’s signature symbol. Scheufele innovatively proposed making the Palme d’Or base entirely from rock crystal in the shape of an emerald-cut diamond, which added not only aesthetic but also technical uniqueness to the award.
The trophy weighs about 1.5 kg, it is covered with 118 g of 18-karat gold. The golden palm branch is handcrafted in Switzerland. Its cost is estimated at about 20 thousand euros.
Why a palm branch? Its history is connected with the palm trees that grow on the Croisette embankment.
