The Most Stunning Academy Awards Jewelry Moments of All Time
The Most Stunning Academy Awards Jewelry Moments of All Time
There's no occasion as glamorous as the Academy Awards. Celebrities go all out for the A-list affair—and the jewelry is always sparkling and simply unforgettable. From Elizabeth Taylor's 68 carat necklace and the Heart of the Ocean necklace from Titanic to Angelina Jolie's oversize emerald earrings and Ruth Negga's Irene Neuwirth crown, we're rounding up the greatest jewelry moments to grace the Oscar ceremonies through the years here. And, we asked Stellene Volandes to share the fascinating backstories behind a few stunning pieces.
Ava Gardner, 1960
The actress went for a royal-inspired look for the 1960 Oscars: Gardner wore a glittering tiara that perfectly matched her sequined gown.
Elizabeth Taylor, 1970
"'I was going to get that diamond if it cost me my life or 2 million dollars whichever was the greater,'Richard Burton said of the 68 carat rock Elizabeth Taylor wore to the 1970 Academy Awards. The Taylor Burton diamond became that after a 24 hour battle between Burton and Cartier who had beat him for it at an auction when they paid a record price of $1 million. He seduced it out of their hands and onto Liz Taylors neck for $1.1 million. But first it went on an exhibit for the public to witness its splendor, a condition of the sale. There were lines around the block outside Cartier’s New York and Chicago stores. Soon after Taylor refashioned the diamond ring into a necklace. For one it was a bit too heavy, and she also wanted to create a necklace that would hide her tracheotomy scar, the result of an almost fatal bout with pneumonia. This Burton Taylor diamond did just that at the Oscars, paired with a dress designed for her by Edith Head. She presented the Best Picture Award to Midnight Cowboy. After her second divorce from Burton, Taylor sold their named diamond for a rumored $3-5 million."—Stellene Volandes, Town & Country's Editor-in-Chief
Sally Field, 1985
Field, who won an Academy Award in 1985, wore a delicate diamond bow necklace to the Oscars.
Madonna, 1991
Madonna performed at the 1991 Oscars wearing $20 million worth of Harry Winston diamonds, including a jaw-dropping necklace.
Whoopi Goldberg, 1991
Goldberg won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1991, and she wore a stunning pearl necklace to accept her award.
Elizabeth Taylor, 1993
Taylor wowed yet again at the Oscars, this time wearing a daisy necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels.
Nicole Kidman, 1997
"Ask anyone for the best jewelry red carpet moments in Oscar history and Nicole Kidman wearing chartreuse Galliano and Indian Moghul jewelry in 1997 will top the list. Always. Martin Katz, whose jewelry showcases some of the world’s most exceptional stones, was working with vintage jewelry a lot at that time. He remembers the moment that changed what it meant to take risks on the red carpet. “That photo of Nicole with then husband Tom Cruise was one the most iconic Oscars photos ever taken. It constantly appeared for many, many years and I still see it pop up today. At that time I worked a lot with famed stylist L'Wren Scott who did all of Nicole's fashion styling and several other celebrities. When L'Wren fist showed me the Galliano gown she chose for Nicole to wear, she asked if I had long ruby earrings to pair with it. However, as soon as I saw it, I told L'Wren I had a better idea. I was still working with vintage jewelry (as well as designing) and I owned a magnificent set of original Moghul Indian jewelry. As soon as I showed her the earrings and a matching pair of bracelets it was the obvious choice and all of us were thrilled with the choice. The inlayed enamel colors in the jewelry perfectly accented the Chartreuse-like color of the gown as you can see in the photos.” And the rest, as they say, is Oscar jewelry history."—Stellene Volandes, Town & Country's Editor-in-Chief
Salma Hayek, 1997
Hayek brought old Hollywood glamour to the Oscars in 1997: the actress wore a glittering diamond tiara to the award show, paired with equally stunning earrings.
Celine Dion, 1998
"The Titanic’s Heart of the Ocean (at least one of the three versions made for the movie), was thrown into the ocean at the end of it, you are correct. But still, two women wore versions of the Heart of the Ocean necklace to the 1998 Academy Awards. And one made history. Celine Dion wore a 171 carat Ceylon sapphire replica of Rose’s famed, if doomed, pendant, created by Asprey that had been sold at Sotheby’s days earlier for $1.4 million to benefit the Princess Diana Memorial Fund with the provision that Dion wear it to the Oscars."—Stellene Volandes, Town & Country's Editor-in-Chief
Gloria Stuart, 1998
"It was Gloria Stuart—at 87, the oldest person ever nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar—who set a jewelry record that night. Her 15 carat blue diamond—the rarest of the rare and reminiscent of the famed Hope Diamond now on view at The Smithsonian—was set in a diamond necklace by Harry Winston, and remains one of the most expensive jewels to ever walk a red carpet. Price tag: $20 million. Someone break that record. Please. I’m waiting."—Stellene Volandes, Town & Country's Editor-in-Chief
Gwyneth Paltrow, 1999
In 1999, Paltrow scooped up the Best Actress Oscar wearing a pink Ralph Lauren gown with a stunning 40-carat diamond necklace by Harry Winston to accessorize. Paltrow's parents later bought her the necklace to celebrate her win.
Hilary Swank, 2000
Swank won an Oscar for Boys Don't Cry in 2000, and the actress brought old Hollywood glamour to the ceremony. Swank wore a bronze gown by Randolph Duke with jewelry that has a royal origin: the Asprey and Garrard diamond necklace was originally created for one of Queen Victoria's daughters in 1890. It was worth over $250,000.
Angela Bassett, 2000
Bassett wore a stunning red gown with a ruby, emerald, and diamond necklace from Martin Katz, a piece that dates back 150 years. The necklace was worth an estimate $75,000, per People.
Julia Roberts, 2001
In 2001, Roberts won an Academy Award for Erin Brockovich, and the actress wore a 22-carat diamond bracelet on loan from Van Cleef & Arpels to the ceremony.
Catherine Zeta-Jones, 2002
Zeta-Jones stunned at the 2002 Oscars wearing a 50-carat aquamarine necklace from H. Stern.
Halle Berry, 2002
In 2002, Berry won an Oscar for her role in Monster's Ball, and the actress collected her award wearing an Elie Saab gown and a Harry Winston pumpkin diamond ring on her pinky finger. The ring features a rare 5.54-carat orange diamond in the center, which was purchased by Harry Winston in 1997 for over $1.3 million in 1997 at a Sotheby's auction. The stone was later featured in a Smithsonian exhibit on rare diamonds.
Nicole Kidman, 2002
Kidman graced the red carpet in a pale pink gown by Chanel Haute Couture with a 241-carat rough-cut diamond chain by Bulgari that was later valued at $4 million.
Julianne Moore, 2003
The actress wowed in emerald chandelier earrings by Boucheron at the 2003 Academy Awards.
Beyonce Knowles, 2005
In 2005, Queen B wore these stunning drop earrings by Lorraine Schwartz to the Academy Awards.
Keira Knightley, 2006
The actress sparkled in a Bulgari necklace consisting of 18k yellow gold, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds.
Jennifer Lopez, 2006
Lopez wore a glittering earring and necklace combination by Fred Leighton to the 2006 Oscars, paired with a vibrant vintage gown.
Queen Latifah, 2007
Queen Latifah went all out for the 2007 Oscars, wearing a stunning combination of jewels by Chopard, including 21-carat rose-cut diamond earrings, a 10-carat diamond ring, and finally a 100-carat marquise-cut diamond cuff.
Nicole Kidman, 2008
Kidman wore a black Balenciaga gown with a dramatic piece of jewelry designed by L'Wren Scott. The 1,399-carat rough diamond necklace stole the show at the Oscars.
Angelina Jolie, 2009
The actress wore a jaw-dropping pair of oversized emerald Lorraine Schwartz earrings worth an estimate $2.5 million to the Academy Awards.
Freida Pinto, 2009
Pinto shined in a $285,000 white-gold cocktail ring from Martin Katz with a pair of sapphire drop earrings.
Penelope Cruz, 2009
Cruz, who won an Oscar for her role in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, wore a 69-carat cushion-cut necklace by Chopard to the ceremony.
Taraji P. Henson, 2009
Henson wore stunning Fred Leighton jewelry to the Oscars.
Kate Winslet, 2010
The actress wore a $2.5 million necklace by Tiffany & Co. that featured a drop pendant with a 13.09-carat canary diamond.
Jennifer Hudson, 2011
In 2011, Hudson sparkled in jewelry by Neil Lane, totaling over 100 carats in all.
Lupita Nyong’o, 2014
The actress wore a plunging gown by Prada with Fred Leighton jewelry, which included a seriously stunning gold headband.
Charlize Theron, 2014
In 2014, the actress wore a one-of-a-kind Harry Winston necklace worth a staggering $15 million.
Cate Blanchett, 2015
Blanchett wore a turquoise statement necklace by Tiffany & Co. at the 2015 Oscars.
Ruth Negga
"In 2017 actress Ruth Negga was nominated for Loving. She strode on the red carpet in head to toe scarlet including a crown of 146 ethically sourced Gemfields rubies set in blackened white gold, with a 15 carat ruby and diamond ring, and 27 carat earrings. Jeweler Irene Neuwirth remembers the call that changed everything.“As soon as Ruth Negga was nominated, her stylist Karla Welch reached out. I had just posted a picture of my dog Teddy and I thought for sure she was asking where I got him. Instead Karla asked if I would ever be interested in making a pagan inspired ruby tiara. It was my dream come true. It’s so rare that someone would take such a risk for the Oscars. And also a tiara? It was my absolute favorite task to date. And on top of it , she was the girl to dress. Will that ever happen again? Not sure but I hope so.”—Stellene Volandes, Town & Country's Editor-in-Chief
Janelle Monáe, 2017
Monáe wore a variety of jewelry by Forevermark to the 2017 Oscars, including a radiant fancy intense yellow diamond ring featuring over 13 carats total, and a two stone round and pear shaped diamond ring with over 8.5 carats total.
Gal Gadot, 2018
In 2018, Gadot wore a stunning necklace by Tiffany and Co., which featured a 27 carat aquamarine stone and over 1,000 diamonds.
Helen Mirren, 2018
Just last year, Mirren wore $3.8 million worth of sapphire and diamond jewelry by Harry Winston to the Oscars, including a serious statement piece: the sapphire and diamond necklace totals a whopping 115.27 carats.
From Elizabeth Taylor's 68 carat diamond necklace in 1970 to Angelina Jolie's overside emeralds from 2009.