Under the Loupe: 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.