Statement Jewels abound at Academy Awards 2015!

Finally sense has returned to the red carpet!  Red carpet occasions are an opportunity to bring back that Hollywood glamour with elegant couture and dazzling jewellery that we remember, but that has been sadly lacking (with a few notable exceptions) in the last decade.

A large number of stylists have recognised that the statement necklace is back and encouraged their stars to wear some amazing jewels and the result is far more variety than has been seen in many years.   The red carpet abounded in necklaces, and not just on the major stars - many lesser known attendees were seen although sadly no great photos of their jewels.

One of the most talked about necklaces was on our own (Australian) actress Margot Robbie pictured at top.  A girl who grew up on a farm, there is definitely sign of that in her glamorous look.   She choose a Van Cleef and Arpel's Zip Antique Colombine featuring 150 diamonds and 300 sapphires in 18 carat gold.    This design was inspired by the Duchess of Windsor, who was quite the jewellery connoisseur.   In 1938 she suggested a necklace that could be actually zipped and converted.  In 1950 the technical problems of this design were solved and the result was a fully-functional zipper that could open for a necklace and close for a bracelet.     This isn't the Duchess' necklace but it is in the same sort of design and only a few of them have been made in the intervening decades.

Here is the piece as a bracelet...

Another Australian rocked the red carpet in a statement necklace  - Cate Blanchett went all out with a turquoise necklace by Tiffany & Co, that really popped against her black velvet gown.

A jaw-dropping statement piece was Scarlett Johannson's emerald green beaded necklace that could be a part of her Versace dress.    She also wore a Piaget ear cuff of emerald, diamond, aquamarine and green tourmaline. 

Viola Davis looked fabulous in a pearl and diamond necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels:

Model Behati Prinsloo's necklace by de Grisogono garnered quite a lot of attention.

 

Cheryl Hines chose a necklace and earring set that brought out her the green in her eyes even more.

 

And Lara Spencer  went all out with a turquoise and diamond ensemble:

  

The following ladies chose diamonds...some are a little predictable, but its a start!

Anna Kendrick had a 5 row diamond collar incorporated into her dress and 13 carats of diamonds in her earrings by Norman Silverman:

Faith Hill wore a long diamond pendant necklace although with the white dress the pendants were invisible in the distance photographs.

 Carmen Ejogo looking very art deco:

Jessica Chastain wearing Piaget:

 And Zoe Saldana wore 100 carats of diamonds in this Neil Lane necklace:

Part of the notable pendant brigade were Laura Dern in Bulgari, and Rosanna Arquette supporting her sister Patricia:

The following stars stylist's didn't get the memo that statement necklaces were the thing to be worn, however I will excuse Lupita Nyong'o whose dazzling dress contained 6000 pearls!  (note they were partially imitiation pearls) but her Chopard diamond earrings were a nice addition.

Here are some of the colourful earrings:

America Ferraro wore Irene Neuwirth's boulder opal and turquoise earrings:

Naomi Watts who is one of the few who usually wears a necklace went sans necklace this time,  but her Anna Hu Haute Joaillerie art deco sapphire earrings caught attention.  She also wore a Wallis Simpson diamond bracelet.

 Gwyneth Paltrow wore huge rubelite earrings also by Annu Hu Haute Joaillerie:

Robin Roberts in red:

Jennifer Hudson wore Lorraine Schwartz emerald earrings and ring:

Kerry Washington went for pink sapphire and diamond earrings by Fred Leighton:

 

Kelly Preston wore Kimberley McDonald geode earrings:

 

These ladies rocked green earrings:  Melanie Griffiths, Keltie Knight and Rashida Jones (the latter at the Vanity Fair after party).

  

 

Octavia Spencer chose Lorraine Schwartz earrings in a pale blue - possibly chalcedony, but its hard to pick from the photo.

And on to the diamond earrings...  here are some lovely ones that don't make me yawn lol.

Marion Cotillard in Chopard - I love how the design of the earrings reflects the circles in her dress.

Julianne Moore also in Chopard:

 Jamie Chung with a nice addition of a small sapphire to her radiating diamonds by Leticia Linton:

Meryl Streep in 19th century diamond fan pendant earrings by Fred Leighton:

Chloe Moretz in diamond ear cuffs

Jenna Dewar-Tatum in large diamond vines

Nancy O'Dell in long diamond encrusted drops:

And Rita Ora in diamonds and gold.

All in all, a very satisfying red carpet, don't you think!?

Till next,
Annette :)

Lauren Bacall's Jewellery Upcoming Auction

The amazing Lauren Bacall was a favourite actress of mine for decades (that's a bit telling in the age department!), playing strong if not sassy female roles.   Starring in films for seventy years, Ms Bacall died last August and the silver screen is poorer for her passing.    

A collection of selected bronze sculptures, jewellery, decorative arts, tribal works of art, prints, and paintings is currently touring  - it has been to  Hong Kong and Paris and is currently in London, before heading to Los Angeles and finally New York - where it will be auctioned at the end of March.

I love that she wasn't afraid of colour and she favoured texture and layering in her jewellery pieces!  


Amethyst earrings by Jean Schlumberger - the gems are only attached on one side, so that they would flutter with slight movements.

Sapphire earrings and a jadeite ring by Darlene de Selde :

A gold rope bracelet which Ms Bacall wore regularly with another similar bracelet that was encrusted with diamonds.   The little camel was a favourite of hers, and Elizabeth Gage was commissioned to turn it into a brooch.

An enamel and gold bangle also by Jean Schlumberger.

This divine ring features a central stone of amethyst surrounded by diamonds and bounded by turquoise.

According to the Auction house, Bonhams, prices are expected to be reasonable... what would you fancy owning?

Till next
Annette :)

BAFTA's 2015 Jewellery

The 2015 BAFTAs were a wee bit disappointing in the jewellery stakes.... it was nice to see some pearls on the red carpet, ostensibly because Yoko of London was a sponsor of the night, but there was the typical slide back into diamonds for any jewellery of note.   Here are some of the highlights...

Above, to start our diamond love fest is the elegant Julianne Moore in Chopard diamonds.

And below.... Alice Eve in a long line of diamonds and Charlotte Riley wearing an opal, diamond and Tahitian pearl ring by Yoko of London and Edith Bowman wearing Yoko London's South Sea Pearl drop earrings:

Felicity Jones wearing one of the rare spots of colour - ruby and diamond earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels and Holliday Grainger in one of the few necklaces on the night, albeit diamonds:

Julie Walters looking divine - I will forgive diamonds with her sparkling silver dress!    Pearl bracelets by Yoko London on Kara Tointon ... and Kristen Scott-Thomas made up for the lack of colour with size!:

Monica Belluci and Patricia Arquette in yet more diamonds... and Romola Garai in more South Sea Pearls by Yoko London:  

Rosamund Pike in Bulgari - emerald and diamonds and a diamond bracelet, Sophie Hunter in ... you guessed it ... diamonds... and in a rare spot of bright colour, Sunrise Coigney who donned green peridot earrings:

Any favourites?

Academy Awards are only just over a week away, anything you're hoping to see down that red carpet?

Till next,
Annette :)