Claudia Cardinale, the Radiance of a Free Woman
In September 2025, the world of cinema lost one of its most prominent figures. Nine months later, Claudia Cardinale's jewels left their case for one final public appearance: from June 16 to 26, Christie's dispersed the majority of them in the online sale "Jewelry Paris". For the star who saw little distinction between her life and her roles, these pieces were not mere ornaments, but milestones of an entire lifetime.
Born in La Goulette, Tunisia, in 1938, the woman who was known as Claude grew up between two shores before being elected, at 19, as "the most beautiful Italian in Tunisia". This title led her to the Venice Film Festival and then to the cinema under the guidance of producer Franco Cristaldi. Known for her fierce, almost wild nature, she was accepted into the Rome Film School more for her temperament than her eyes, and within a few years, she became the darling of an Italian film industry at its peak: Angelica in Visconti's The Leopard , Fellini's muse, and Sergio Leone's heroine in Once Upon a Time in the West . Thanks to her Mediterranean sensuality, she embodied a liberated femininity, breaking away from the models of previous decades. An avowed feminist and UNESCO ambassador for women's rights, she appeared in more than 150 films and received tributes from Venice, Berlin and Cannes, where she was the face of the 2017 poster, dancing on a rooftop in Rome. Upon her passing, French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to a star " whom we, the French, will always hold in our hearts ". Bulgari, Rome, and the Dolce Vita The connection between the actress and Bulgari was inevitable. Founded in Rome in 1884, the house on via Condotti intertwined its fate with that of Cinecittà and the stars who flocked there. Its emblem, the Serpenti, became a global icon when Elizabeth Taylor wrapped hers around her wrist on the set of Cleopatra in 1962. Like Anna Magnani, Sophia Loren, and Monica Vitti, Claudia Cardinale made the Roman jeweler one of her favorites. Her serpent, a blue and white enamel wristwatch with pear-cut sapphires and a dial signed by Vacheron Constantin (dated around 1965), led the Christie's sale. On lacquered models like hers, the scales are handcrafted from gold leaf, and the case is hidden under the reptile's head. Her daughter, Claudia Squitieri, recounts that the actress saw in this motif " a symbol of strength, wisdom, and vitality ", and found it exhilarating to wear it coiled around her arm. She also had a fondness for cabochon rings, a curve that Bulgari borrowed from Roman domes: three of them, set respectively with a ruby, an emerald, and a star sapphire, were among the auction lots. /public-objects/77d0894e-1840-46e3-9dc9-5f13e7fd615e-1485e4be-0879-4f61-9f50-65f1aa9e9e0a-1.webp Image sélectionnée /public-objects/0ea5eae0-4c97-4230-ace6-22057fdfb7a8-02553cdd-0a20-4701-a11a-f7144156efb9-Sans%20titre-1.webp Image sélectionnée From Milan to Place Vendôme Beyond Rome, the collection paints the portrait of a discerning connoisseur. From Buccellati, a century-old house hailed as the " prince of goldsmiths ", Claudia Cardinale cherished the chiseled gold crafted like lace: the sale includes floral brooches and a complete set, as well as an antique butterfly brooch, a clever nod to one of the house's emblems. Place Vendôme is not left out. Van Cleef & Arpels, who designed a headpiece for her role in The Pink Panther in 1963, and for whom she was a muse for several years, is represented by a delicate gold powder compact; Cartier, by several watches, including a Tank. All these pieces where cinema, fashion, and high jewelry converge, reflect a taste as sure as it is eclectic. /public-objects/61cecc90-2e27-46ac-9f32-550910d51808-aaab40d1-eb71-4365-9dfb-7a7430826ce9-3.webp Image sélectionnée /public-objects/68b46218-cdc2-40a4-8ccd-0bc045acd9ce-c263ec50-682c-4c9c-a765-a0f0a9023f0f-4.webp Image sélectionnée One Final Ascent The auction lived up to its promises. Christie's "Jewelry Paris" sale totaled more than €10.5 million, doubling its low estimate, and all of the actress's jewels found buyers, for €826,262, exceeding the high estimate. An Art Deco sapphire and diamond brooch, which went for €406,400, and a trembling brooch from the 19th century (€355,600) were the highest bids of the session. As for the Bulgari Serpenti wristwatch, it was sold for €203,200. With buyers from 39 countries, the session also confirmed the vitality of the online format. The essential remains, true to the actress's commitment: a portion of the profits will be donated to the Claudia Cardinale Foundation, created with her daughter to support young female artists. The free woman continues to pass on her legacy.