In cinema, jewelry has long been viewed as a finishing touch that enhances a character’s appearance or symbolizes wealth and status. However, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein presents a different vision, transforming jewelry into a storytelling device that helps shape characters and define the film’s visual identity. At the heart of this approach is an extraordinary collaboration with Tiffany & Co., which opened its historic archives to provide rare masterpieces—some more than a century old—for the production.
Rather than serving as a marketing partnership between a luxury jeweler and a Hollywood studio, the collaboration became an artistic project. Tiffany’s archivists worked alongside costume designer Kate Hawley to select pieces that reflected the film’s 19th-century setting while reinforcing the personalities and emotional journeys of its characters.
Opening the Tiffany Archives
Founded in 1837, Tiffany & Co. maintains one of the world's most significant jewelry archives, preserving thousands of historic designs, sketches, and masterpieces that document nearly two centuries of American jewelry craftsmanship.
While Tiffany has appeared in numerous films throughout its history, Frankenstein marked an unprecedented milestone. For the first time, the company granted filmmakers extensive access to its archives, allowing Hawley to study and select exceptional pieces that rarely leave Tiffany's vaults. According to the company, it is among the most ambitious cinematic collaborations ever undertaken by the house.
Twenty-Seven Historic Treasures
The production incorporated 27 archival and contemporary objects, carefully curated to create the film's visual language.
The collection included:
10 archival jewelry masterpieces
6 historic silver objects
6 contemporary Tiffany High Jewelry creations
5 custom-designed pieces created specifically for the film
These works included necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, brooches, pendants, combs, and even a historic pocket watch. Actress Mia Goth, portraying Elizabeth Lavenza, wears many of the featured jewels throughout the film, while actor Charles Dance carries an antique Tiffany pocket watch in several scenes.
The Wade Necklace: A Masterpiece Returns
Among the film's most remarkable jewels is the legendary Wade Necklace, designed around 1900 by celebrated Tiffany designer Paulding Farnham.
Considered one of the finest examples of the American Garland Style, the necklace features more than 40 carats of Old European-cut diamonds set in platinum and gold, arranged in delicate floral motifs resembling fine lace.
Originally created for American heiress Ellen Garretson Wade, the necklace spent decades preserved within Tiffany's archives and museum collections. For Frankenstein, it returned to public view in dramatic fashion, worn by Mia Goth during several key scenes.
Christopher Young, Tiffany's Vice President of Creative Visual Merchandising and Creative Director of Heritage Collections, described the moment Goth first wore the necklace as "a Cinderella moment," noting that the historic jewel fit her perfectly and immediately became central to the character's appearance.
The Beetle Necklace: Art Meets Nature
Another standout piece is the remarkable Beetle Necklace, designed by Meta Overbeck in 1914 under the artistic direction of Louis Comfort Tiffany.
The necklace incorporates Tiffany's iconic Favrile glass, fashioned into shimmering beetles mounted in gold. Inspired by Art Nouveau's fascination with nature, the piece reflects one of Louis Comfort Tiffany's most innovative artistic achievements.
Its inclusion was far from accidental. In the film, Elizabeth is portrayed as someone deeply fascinated by nature and scientific observation, making the beetle motif a symbolic extension of her personality rather than a decorative accessory.
Custom Jewelry Created for the Film
The collaboration extended beyond Tiffany's historic collection.
The company also designed several original pieces exclusively for Frankenstein, including a carved carnelian cross, a deep-red beaded necklace inspired by Victorian jewelry, and additional bespoke creations that seamlessly blended historical craftsmanship with modern design.
Working closely with Kate Hawley, Tiffany ensured that every new piece appeared authentic to the film's period while complementing the archival masterpieces.
Jewelry as Visual Storytelling
According to costume designer Kate Hawley, every jewel was selected for its narrative purpose rather than its monetary value.
The colors of gemstones, floral motifs, insects, precious metals, and handcrafted details were all chosen to reinforce Guillermo del Toro's symbolic visual language. Rather than functioning as luxury accessories, the jewels became extensions of each character's psychology, integrating naturally with costume, lighting, production design, and cinematography.
Beyond Product Placement
Frankenstein also represents a broader shift in the relationship between luxury jewelry houses and the film industry.
For decades, luxury brands primarily associated themselves with cinema through red carpet appearances and celebrity endorsements. Tiffany's involvement in Frankenstein demonstrates a new model—one in which jewelry actively contributes to world-building and storytelling instead of merely appearing on screen.
By allowing historically significant masterpieces to become part of the narrative, Tiffany elevated the collaboration beyond traditional product placement, giving its creations both artistic and cultural significance.
When Jewelry Becomes a Character
The collaboration between Frankenstein and Tiffany & Co. illustrates how jewelry has evolved into an essential cinematic language. By bringing masterpieces that had remained hidden for more than a century back into the public eye, the film demonstrates that historic jewelry can contribute as powerfully to storytelling as costumes, architecture, music, or performance.
Rather than remaining silent museum treasures, Tiffany's archival creations become living works of art—helping tell a timeless story while introducing a new generation of audiences to the enduring craftsmanship and heritage of one of the world's most iconic jewelry houses.
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