Cartier’s Hartington Opal Necklace made a measured red‑carpet appearance in London last week when director Emerald Fennell wore the piece during the Wuthering Heights press tour. The placement — a high‑profile, low‑key moment — reinforces appetite for refined colored‑stone high jewelry and could modestly shift demand toward quieter, material‑driven pieces among affluent buyers.

  • Piece: Hartington Opal Necklace (Cartier)
  • Gemstone: opal (red‑carpet appearance)
  • Wearer: Emerald Fennell
  • Event: Wuthering Heights press tour, London — last week
  • Segment: high jewelry / red‑carpet market

Context: Where this fits in 2025–26 trends

Celebrity placements remain a discreet but powerful driver for high‑jewelry demand. In 2025–26, the market has leaned toward quiet luxury — pieces that prioritise material quality and refined execution over overt branding. The Hartington Opal Necklace underscores that direction: opal, with its characteristic play‑of‑color and softer palette, suits a pared‑back aesthetic and complements the muted, tactile language retailers are leaning into.

Cartier’s choice to present an opal as a focal necklace speaks to two converging currents. First, collectors and fashion‑forward clients are reallocating attention from purely white diamonds to colored stones that carry visual warmth and individuality. Second, editorial visibility on measured, elegant pieces tends to have a longer tail in demand than flashier, logo‑driven moments: buyers respond to texture, scale and finish — the tangible cues of craftsmanship.

Impact: Why this matters in the US market

For US retailers and wholesalers, the Hartington appearance offers tactical signals rather than immediate price mandates. Merchandisers should consider allocating a modest share of inventory to refined colored‑stone necklaces and pendants that emphasize materiality — close‑up imagery that captures an opal’s play‑of‑color, restrained proportions and quality mounting will resonate with quiet‑luxury buyers.

Marketing should match the product language: focus on provenance, finish and the sensory qualities of the stone rather than discounting or high‑volume promotions. For investors and category buyers, the placement suggests a slow rotation in taste that may support stable secondary‑market interest in well‑executed colored‑stone high jewelry. Keep watch for sell‑through data on similarly positioned pieces following high‑profile but understated placements; these often translate into steady demand rather than sudden spikes.

In short, Cartier’s opal necklace on the Wuthering Heights carpet is a strategic nod to a subdued, material‑led moment. US players who adjust assortments and storytelling to reflect that restraint will be better placed to capture buyers seeking quiet luxury in 2026.

Image Referance: https://www.thecourtjeweller.com/2026/02/the-hartington-opal-necklace-made-by-cartier-makes-its-red-carpet-debut.html