The "Heart of the Ocean" necklace plays a significant and multifaceted role in James Cameron's 1997 film "Titanic." Symbolically, it represents wealth, love, and ultimately, the tragic loss and memory associated with the ill-fated voyage. In the story, the "Heart of the Ocean" is a stunning piece of jewelry—a large, heart-shaped blue diamond pendant surrounded by white diamonds. It is fictitiously presented as a gift from the wealthy antagonist, Cal Hockley, to his fiancée, Rose DeWitt Bukater, to demonstrate his wealth and his ownership over her. The necklace serves several narrative purposes throughout the film: 1. A Symbol of Wealth and Class Division: The "Heart of the Ocean" epitomizes the opulence and excess of the upper class in the early 20th century. It underscores the stark differences between the lives of the first-class passengers and those in the lower classes, highlighting the social stratification aboard the Titanic. 2. A Love Token: The necklace also becomes intertwined with the love story between Rose and Jack Dawson. Its extravagance contrasts sharply with the simplicity and authenticity of the love that they share, which is not based on material possessions. 3. A Catalyst for Plot Development: The necklace is central to several plot points, fueling conflict and driving the action forward. For example, the pivotal scene where Jack is wrongfully accused of stealing the necklace adds to the tension and stakes of their love story. 4. A Symbol of Rose's Transformation: Throughout the course of the movie, Rose evolves from a woman constrained by societal expectations to one who chooses her own path. She keeps the necklace but does not sell it, suggesting that she has transcended the materialistic values it represents. 5. A Connection to Memory and the Past: At the end of the film, an elderly Rose throws the "Heart of the Ocean" into the sea over the wreck of the Titanic. This act signifies her emotional release of the past and her tribute to Jack and the other passengers who perished. Regarding its basis in reality, while the "Heart of the Ocean" itself is not a real artifact, it was partially inspired by the Hope Diamond — a large blue diamond with a similarly storied past. Additionally, there was a necklace known as the "Love of the Sea," which bore some resemblance to the cinematic "Heart of the Ocean" and was reported to have gone down with the ship, though it was not nearly as ostentatious as the movie version. After the release of the "Titanic" film, the fictitious "Heart of the Ocean" captured the audience's imagination so much that several jewelers crafted replicas, and one version was even designed by jewelers Asprey & Garrard and auctioned for charity.