Finally we have the chance to see Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco wear the Van Cleef & Arpels Océan necklace given to her by Prince Albert as a wedding gift. I am sure Albert breathed another royal sigh of relief as at last his wife, Princess Charlene, has publicly worn her Van Cleef & Arpels Océan necklace that he gave her as a wedding gift. The occasion that merited the first outing of this diamond and sapphire necklace that converts into a tiara was the high-profile Red Cross Ball in Monaco. Earlier that day, Charlene, opened the new Van Cleef & Arpels boutique in Monaco that perhaps prompted her to open up the Palace safe and wear her own Van Cleef creation that very same evening.
Since 1956, Van Cleef & Arpels has held the honour of being "Official Supplier to the Principality" but Charlene chooses to wear jewels in her very own way. Charlene's style of wearing jewels is to dazzle with just one dramatic piece. On this occasion she wore the Océan necklace on a bare neck with no earrings nor bracelets to distract from the swirling waves of diamonds and graduated sapphires. Charlene's fresh approach shows how a new generation of royals can wear important jewels without compromising their own sense of style or being swamped under tiers and swags of diamonds and tradition. By selecting just one statement piece carefully combined with an unfussy hair-do, low-key make up and an elegantly simple dress is becoming 'the Charlene look' and it is sure to be copied. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie please take note: less is more. I love how her sparkly blue-grey eye shadow complements the colours of the necklace and by wearing innocent pink lipstick and a light hand with the foundation, she avoids the Hollywood glitz look. All of these details confirm that Charlene has a very clear idea of how to pull together a look and knows what suits her. From these early public appearances, I predict Charlene will become a very sophisticated jewellery lover, but always worn her way and on her terms. Let's just hope the same goes for her marriage.
