jwaldo
New Member
Problem is, the movie Troussaint differs somewhat from the original actual Troussaint.
If I proceed, which should I pursue? Original, prop, or some hybrid ?
Picture shows original on top and the prop on the bottom.
Thanks,
Jim.
Ocean's 8, Troussaint - Finished
- Thread starter jwaldo
- Start date
-
- Tags
- ocean's 8 troussaint
Problem is, the movie Troussaint differs somewhat from the original actual Troussaint.
If I proceed, which should I pursue? Original, prop, or some hybrid ?
Picture shows original on top and the prop on the bottom.
Thanks,
Jim.
jwaldo
New Member
Build Log
Background.
Jeanne Toussaint was the Creative Director for Cartier for almost 50 years. If you watched the all female movie Ocean’s 8, you know that the Toussaint Necklace was the jewelry piece that Anne Hathaway would wear at The Met Gala, to be stolen by Debbie Ocean, played by Sandra Bullock, with her supporting cast of fabulously dressed accomplices.
The famous necklace was made in 1931, designed by Jacques Cartier for the Maharaja of Nawanagar. Composed of 100+ stones, it included the incredible 'Queen of Holland' 136.25-carat diamond.
The necklace, named after Jeanne Toussaint, no longer exists as it was in later years taken apart and the diamonds were used to create other pieces.
So, while the original Troussaint is gone, a new and only slightly different necklace was created for the movie.
This build chronicles my attempt to recreate the prop.
Background.
Jeanne Toussaint was the Creative Director for Cartier for almost 50 years. If you watched the all female movie Ocean’s 8, you know that the Toussaint Necklace was the jewelry piece that Anne Hathaway would wear at The Met Gala, to be stolen by Debbie Ocean, played by Sandra Bullock, with her supporting cast of fabulously dressed accomplices.
The famous necklace was made in 1931, designed by Jacques Cartier for the Maharaja of Nawanagar. Composed of 100+ stones, it included the incredible 'Queen of Holland' 136.25-carat diamond.
The necklace, named after Jeanne Toussaint, no longer exists as it was in later years taken apart and the diamonds were used to create other pieces.
So, while the original Troussaint is gone, a new and only slightly different necklace was created for the movie.
This build chronicles my attempt to recreate the prop.
jwaldo
New Member
Differences.
The original Troussaint and the one created for the movie differ. Notably, the movie main double front chain contains fewer stones, and the single back chain was changed from alternating single stones / double marquis with end rounds to a simple chain of single round stones.
Original and movie version.
The original Troussaint and the one created for the movie differ. Notably, the movie main double front chain contains fewer stones, and the single back chain was changed from alternating single stones / double marquis with end rounds to a simple chain of single round stones.
Original and movie version.
Last edited:
jwaldo
New Member
Stones.
As much as I'd like to own some 400+ carats of flawless diamonds, budgetary restrictions dictated an alternative strategy. According to notes on the web, Cartier, who created the necklace for the movie, used zircon crystals for the prop. I interpreted zircon crystals to mean cubic zirconia stones. Cubic Zirconia has 1.6 the density of real diamond (heavier), light dispersion of about 0.06 (slightly brighter than diamond), and hardness of 8 or a little more on the Mohs scale (softer than diamond).
Cubic Zirconia (CZ) is the most economically important competitor for diamond. And, cubic zirconia is relatively inexpensive when compared to diamond (really really less expensive). CZ can also be cut into the standard brilliant cuts.
I created a stones list from my cad drawing and ordered stones from a lapidary lab in Thailand.
As much as I'd like to own some 400+ carats of flawless diamonds, budgetary restrictions dictated an alternative strategy. According to notes on the web, Cartier, who created the necklace for the movie, used zircon crystals for the prop. I interpreted zircon crystals to mean cubic zirconia stones. Cubic Zirconia has 1.6 the density of real diamond (heavier), light dispersion of about 0.06 (slightly brighter than diamond), and hardness of 8 or a little more on the Mohs scale (softer than diamond).
Cubic Zirconia (CZ) is the most economically important competitor for diamond. And, cubic zirconia is relatively inexpensive when compared to diamond (really really less expensive). CZ can also be cut into the standard brilliant cuts.
I created a stones list from my cad drawing and ordered stones from a lapidary lab in Thailand.
jwaldo
New Member
Stones.
As much as I'd like to own some 400+ carats of flawless diamonds, budgetary restrictions dictated an alternative strategy. According to notes on the web, Cartier, who created the necklace for the movie, used zircon crystals for the prop. I interpreted zircon crystals to mean cubic zirconia stones. Cubic Zirconia has 1.6 the density of real diamond (heavier), light dispersion of about 0.06 (slightly brighter than diamond), and hardness of 8 or a little more on the Mohs scale (softer than diamond).
Cubic Zirconia (CZ) is the most economically important competitor for diamond. And, cubic zirconia is relatively inexpensive when compared to diamond (really really less expensive). CZ can also be cut into the standard brilliant cuts.
I created a stones list from my cad drawing and ordered stones from a lapidary lab in Thailand.
As much as I'd like to own some 400+ carats of flawless diamonds, budgetary restrictions dictated an alternative strategy. According to notes on the web, Cartier, who created the necklace for the movie, used zircon crystals for the prop. I interpreted zircon crystals to mean cubic zirconia stones. Cubic Zirconia has 1.6 the density of real diamond (heavier), light dispersion of about 0.06 (slightly brighter than diamond), and hardness of 8 or a little more on the Mohs scale (softer than diamond).
Cubic Zirconia (CZ) is the most economically important competitor for diamond. And, cubic zirconia is relatively inexpensive when compared to diamond (really really less expensive). CZ can also be cut into the standard brilliant cuts.
I created a stones list from my cad drawing and ordered stones from a lapidary lab in Thailand.
jwaldo
New Member
Mountings.
I would have to say that this turned out to be the most challenging aspect of the project.
I assumed (ahem) that all one would have to do would be to open a standard jewelry makers catalog for mountings of all kinds.
One would simply turn to the page for the kind of mounting one wanted, like silver round 4 prong chainable, go down the list for the size needed, and order.
Wrong.
No such catalog listings exist (that I found).
Some suppliers have partial size lists in some select shapes. Others have a 'few' standard mountings of odd sizes. Thus began the search for mountings.
I would find a few of the sizes I needed in one place, a few in another, one here, one there, and some not at all. To add to the problem, some suppliers wanted $50 or more 'per mounting'. At 100 stones that's $5K (!) just for mountings. And, these were just simple single stone mountings with no provision for chaining them together.
The mountings I needed were not available. Could I make them ?
I would have to say that this turned out to be the most challenging aspect of the project.
I assumed (ahem) that all one would have to do would be to open a standard jewelry makers catalog for mountings of all kinds.
One would simply turn to the page for the kind of mounting one wanted, like silver round 4 prong chainable, go down the list for the size needed, and order.
Wrong.
No such catalog listings exist (that I found).
Some suppliers have partial size lists in some select shapes. Others have a 'few' standard mountings of odd sizes. Thus began the search for mountings.
I would find a few of the sizes I needed in one place, a few in another, one here, one there, and some not at all. To add to the problem, some suppliers wanted $50 or more 'per mounting'. At 100 stones that's $5K (!) just for mountings. And, these were just simple single stone mountings with no provision for chaining them together.
The mountings I needed were not available. Could I make them ?
jwaldo
New Member
Making mountings.
Apparently, I am not the only one with the mounting blues. I found a few Youtube videos demonstrating mounting manufacture from silver wire. Thus began the great mounting creation project of 2019.
I leave it to those interested to search-out mounting creation videos, but suffice to say that it is a custom, measured to the stone, slow, tedious, process. Trying to hold all the pieces together and solder them is like trying to hold onto a really hot spring. The darn thing is ready to fly apart at any moment, move just as the solder starts to set, or just melt down altogether.
Bend up the parts
Position
Lucky Result (different stone, but you get the idea)
Disasters
Apparently, I am not the only one with the mounting blues. I found a few Youtube videos demonstrating mounting manufacture from silver wire. Thus began the great mounting creation project of 2019.
I leave it to those interested to search-out mounting creation videos, but suffice to say that it is a custom, measured to the stone, slow, tedious, process. Trying to hold all the pieces together and solder them is like trying to hold onto a really hot spring. The darn thing is ready to fly apart at any moment, move just as the solder starts to set, or just melt down altogether.
Bend up the parts
Position
Lucky Result (different stone, but you get the idea)
Disasters
Last edited:
jwaldo
New Member
Setting the Stones.
The process for setting the stones is fairly straight forward.
Place the stone in the mounting and trim the prongs to length.
Carefully bend the prongs over the edge of the stone to hold it in place.
Move the mounted stone to the workbench where the stone promptly falls out.
Rinse and repeat until the dang stone stays in the mounting.
Finally, use a small felt wheel on a dremel to polish the silver.
The process for setting the stones is fairly straight forward.
Place the stone in the mounting and trim the prongs to length.
Carefully bend the prongs over the edge of the stone to hold it in place.
Move the mounted stone to the workbench where the stone promptly falls out.
Rinse and repeat until the dang stone stays in the mounting.
Finally, use a small felt wheel on a dremel to polish the silver.
jwaldo
New Member
Connectors
U shape and Catch.
I was unable to locate much in the way of reference material for the U shaped pieces that join the dual front chains.
This was the only good resolution reference photo I found
I fabricated a similar, but not a perfect match. Rough on right, finished on left.
Likewise, the magnetic catch that joins the necklace at the back, and becomes a source of last minute scrambling for the larcenous team, was also difficult to reference.
These are the best pictures I found. All are slightly different.
Enlargement from publicity photo on web
Screen shot from the movie.
U shape and Catch.
I was unable to locate much in the way of reference material for the U shaped pieces that join the dual front chains.
This was the only good resolution reference photo I found
I fabricated a similar, but not a perfect match. Rough on right, finished on left.
Likewise, the magnetic catch that joins the necklace at the back, and becomes a source of last minute scrambling for the larcenous team, was also difficult to reference.
These are the best pictures I found. All are slightly different.
Enlargement from publicity photo on web
Screen shot from the movie.
