Paris, 11 May 2026 - Christie's is pleased to announce the sale of a historic selection of jewelry formerly owned by Claudia Cardinale. These jewels from her personal collection will be offered at the heart of the Joaillerie Paris sale, to be held online from June 19 to 26, just a few weeks after the tribute that will be paid to her at the Cannes Film Festival and 65 years after her first ascent of the red carpet in 1961. Christie's is honored to take part in the celebration of a star who will be remembered as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Italian and international cinema, by presenting a collection of approximately twenty pieces of jewelry chosen, cherished and worn by Claudia Cardinale. For a woman who saw 'a true continuity' between her life and her roles, these pieces of jewelry reflect her most essential, personal and intimate choices. Passionate about both fashion and style, and an icon of Italian glamour, Claudia Cardinale was also an embodiment of women's emancipation. One might also say that these creations therefore also reveal "a chapter in the history of women"*. A portion of the proceeds from this sale will therefore be donated to her final project, the Fondazione Claudia Cardinale, established with her daughter Claudia Squitieri to support contemporary audiovisual creation, with a particular focus on empowering women artists. "Through the Fondazione, the light of her transmission continues to live on through artistic projects that embody her values: openness to the world, sharing, and respect for human dignity." Claudia Squitieri
A fierce temperament, a stellar career, a radiant elegance
Voted "the most beautiful Italian woman in Tunis" in a competition she did not even enter, Claudia Cardinale "never considered herself an actress"**. "Shy, demure and almost wild"***, the young Claudia was accepted into the Rome film school, not just for her beauty, but also for her temperament. Elevated by her role as Angelica in Il Gattopardo, she embodied the new world that was shattering traditional Italy. On set, Luchino Visconti encouraged her to take ownership of the role 'like a panther'. With a distinctly Mediterranean sensuality, so statuesque as to evoke Greek sculpture, she quickly came to embody the quintessence of the Italian woman and a femininity that broke with that of previous decades. Visconti's favorite actress and Fellini's muse, Claudia Cardinale was the icon of Italian cinema at its peak. With her undiminished beauty and the steadfast nobility of a consummate professional, she has enjoyed a surprisingly eclectic career and built up a rich filmography studded with timeless classics. Photogenic and with an elegance that struck the audience with every appearance, she radiated and illuminated every red carpet on which she walked, from the Cannes Film Festival to the Oscars in Los Angeles, as well as the Venice Film Festival and the Berlinale, all of which paid tribute to her during her lifetime. A fashion enthusiast and a discerning collector, her elegance is profoundly free. Whether sensual or sumptuous, she would above all become an icon for the greatest names in Italian fashion. At a time when these designers were breaking free from Parisian dominance, Claudia Cardinale was a global star who would give Italian glamour the spotlight now essential to its international notoriety. She was the very embodiment of the golden age of Roman Dolce Vita.
Bvlgari and Rome
With the muse of Roman cinema and Bvlgari, the jewelry icon of the Eternal City, a perfect union was bound to happen. It would come to life on the red carpets of film festivals as well as in the private life of Claudia Cardinale, who would make Bvlgari one of her favorite brands. Founded in Rome in 1884, the history and rise of Bvlgari are closely linked to those of the Cinecitta studios, the nerve center of post-war world cinema. If Via Condotti 10 fully deserves its status as a historic landmark in a city already rich in monuments, it owes much of this distinction to the many stars who have flocked there. Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, and Sophia Loren championed Bvlgari's distinctly Italian style, which at the time celebrated the sunlit brilliance of yellow gold and the sinuous curves of the Serpenti designs. Bvlgari was the first jeweler of the twentieth century to reimagine this millennia-old symbol of wisdom and vitality in the form of a watch. It embodies their defining jewelry characteristics: a passion for color, the juxtaposition of materials, remarkable versatility, and cutting-edge goldsmithing techniques. In the 1960s, the many individual elements of the watch recreate the scales of the reptile, while the serpent's head conceals the case. Crafted in enamel and sapphire, fitted with a manual movement and a dial signed Vacheron Constantin Geneve, the model owned by Claudia Cardinale is offered for sale with an estimate of EUR 150,000 to 250,000. A sign of its historical importance, a similar model is illustrated in the publication Entre histoire et eternite, released in 2009 to mark the 125th anniversary of Bulgari, an occasion celebrated by a major exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris. From its earliest days, Bvlgari has drawn inspiration from the monuments and architectural treasures of the Eternal City. An allegory of the domes that define the Roman skyline, the cabochon became, from the 1950s onwards, one of Bvlgari's favored motifs, used to elevate the bold chromatic choices so characteristic of the Company.
Three rings emblematic of this style, particularly cherished by Claudia Cardinale, are offered in the sale:
The Buccellati's Milanesita
For more than a century, Buccellati has stood as a distinguished ambassador of Milanese creativity. Its technical traditions and sources of inspiration, often rooted in the Renaissance, earned Buccellati the title of Prince of Goldsmiths in Venice on the occasion of its centenary, as well as recognition from the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, which welcomed the Maison into its collections in 2000. Claudia Cardinale was a great admirer of Buccellati's iconic designs, developed around central gemstones, the lace-like workmanship of white and yellow gold, and floral motifs. The sale will include a rose brooch made from gold and coral, and another composed of three flowers set with diamonds and pearls, and a sunflower brooch composed of gold, diamonds, and sapphires (EUR 5,000 to 7,000 each). A complete parure set by Buccellati will also be offered, with an estimate of EUR 15,000 to 25,000.
(Press Release)
