Academy Awards 2016 - diamonds rule down the red carpet

The Oscar's are always a glittering affair - this year they were particularly so with a heavy dose of diamonds on ears, wrists, fingers and even occasionally necks.   There were a few little splashes of colour, mostly green, blue or pink/red,  but the star's stylists definitely showed their preference for the colourless gem.   Earrings were often large, following this year's trends and while there were many bare necks, necklaces did make the odd appearance - more noticeably so at the pre and after parties than down the red carpet itself.

Necklaces of note down the red carpet included Naomi Watts in Bulgari - she can often be relied upon for a necklace and this year's stunning necklace was quite fabulous.    Charlize Theron (top photo) has also been known to don a spectacular necklace regularly and this year wore Harry Winston diamonds to a value of $3.7million with the long sautoir matching her plunging neckline.  

Olivia Wilde wore a diamond collar by Neil Lane that suited her swept up hair and gave a Victorian air ... if you discount the contemporary gown. 

Jennifer Lawrence didn't wow with her jewellery but she did wear a fine chain of diamonds by Chopard, its just unfortunate that they could hardly be seen - a good case for choosing colour or even black to go with her dress.  

Sophie Turner (above) wore Tiffany diamonds around her neck and tsavorite garnet and diamonds on her ears and Tina Fey (below) bucked the diamond trend by selecting a blue sapphire and diamond necklace by Bulgari.  

I loved Saorise Ronan's (above) choice of green jadeite, emerald, diamonds and pearl earrings by Chopard.   They were the same length, but a different combination that caught attention and highlighted her shimmering green dress.  I applaud her jewellery adventures this awards season and hope to see her down the red carpet next year too!

Priyanka Chopra must have worn the most expensive jewellery on the night - Lorraine Schwartz diamonds valued at $7 million!    They were certainly big stones.

Sophie Vergara often chooses bold jewellery and this year went with Lorraine Schwartz blue sapphire and diamond vine earrings.

 Jennifer Garner went for a classic look in emerald and diamond earrings by Neil Lane.

Jessica Biel also went for emeralds and diamonds, hers are by Piaget.

Heidi Klum wore Lorraine Schwartz white and pink diamonds.

Brie Larson chose Niwaka pearl and diamond earrings and wore more diamonds in her hair.  There was no note if the belt was gems and pearls...

Jennifer Jason Leigh wore Piaget earrings that included 200 diamonds, 22 freshwater cultured pearls and 374 pink sapphires.

Alicia Vikander wore Louis Vuitton diamond earrings.

 Cate Blanchett wore Tiffany diamonds.

 
Julianne Moore went for Chopard diamonds for earrings a cuff bracelet.

Kate Winslet chose Nirav Modi diamonds for her earrings and bracelet.

Kerry Washington rocked the vintage look with 60s hair and earrings (diamonds by Harry Winston 1963) and the top of her dress at least was a bit Barbarella-ish!

Lady Gaga went for serious sized diamond earrings by Lorraine Schwartz.

Emily Blunt wore Niwaka diamond earrings

Red carpet interviewer Guiliana Rancic wore massive diamond earrings by Forevermark - perhaps a bit too large.

 Maria Menounos also went with Lorraine Schwartz diamonds.

Reese Witherspoon wore Tiffany diamonds.

Daisy Ridley wore Chanel diamonds.

 Margot Robbie wore Forevermark diamond hoop earrings.



Quite a few necklaces by Pasquale Bruni were seen at Oscar related parties.  Two pairs of earrings that were pretty spectacular at one of these events were Anne Hathaway's diamond and yellow gold earrings by Irene Neuwirth and Minni Driver's diamond earrings in white and rose gold by Forevermark.

Mary J Bilge

Olivia Culpo

Zendaya

Anne Hathaway

Minnie Driver

So what were your favourites?

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 :)