Every year, Hollywood’s awards season culminates to its grandest of all awards, the Academy Awards. Also known as the Oscars, for short, the annual awards ceremony celebrates the best in cinema the previous year and the stars attending dress accordingly in their very [borrowed] best.
The Red Carpet arrivals are almost as exciting, and for some much more so, as the show itself, seeing all the glitz and glamour of Tinseltown at its finest. With the fairy-tale ball gowns come countless spectacular jewels and we’re looking back at some of the most memorable Oscar jewelry of years past.
Counting down to the Red Carpet arrivals…
Norma Shearer posing with her Oscar for Best Actress (‘The Divorcee’) in 1931. In late Art Deco fashion, she wore a stack of wide gem-set bracelets and a diamond sautoir.
Vivien Leigh, wearing a large emerald-cut gemstone pendant necklace and multi-gemstone bracelet, receives the Oscar for Best Actress for her role as Scarlett O’Hara in ‘Gone with the Wind’ in 1940.
Winning the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in ‘Kitty Foyle, Ginger Rogers poses with Best Actor Oscar winner Jimmy Stewart (‘The Philadelphia Story’) wearing a beautiful gem-set floral necklace and multi-stone cuff bracelet in 1941.
At the 20th Academy Awards in 1948, Loretta Young won the Oscar for Best Actress playing Katie Holstrom in ‘The Farmer’s Daughter’. She wore a diamond and white gold necklace in true 1940s style.
The necklace in color:
And the dress she wore to the Oscars in 1948 – pretty color, not so much the design…
As a presenter at the 23rd Academy Awards in 1951, Marilyn Monroe wore black tulle from the 20th Century Fox wardrobe department and accessorized with a pair of simple diamond drop earrings and a wide Art Deco diamond bracelet.
Audrey Hepburn won the Oscar for playing Princess Ann in ‘Roman Holiday’ at the 26th Academy Awards in 1954. She paired her gorgeous ivory lace gown by Givenchy with timeless, simple diamond and pearl drop earrings.
The following year Grace Kelly reigned supreme at the 27th Academy Awards in 1955, where she won the Oscar for Best Actress for ‘The Country Girl.’ At the time the dress, a silk gown by Edith Head, was the most expensive in Oscar history – the material alone cost $4,000.
Grace Kelly for Life magazine wearing the gown designed by Edith Head that she wore to the 1955 Academy Awards. © Philippe Halsman/Magnum Photos.
She, too, would pair her timelessly elegant dress with simple pearl drop earrings.
For her first nomination for Best Actress (‘Raintree County’) at the 30th Academy Awards in 1958, Elizabeth Taylor proved to be Oscar royalty despite not winning the award that year. Alongside her third husband, producer Mike Todd, who did win an Oscar for Best Picture (‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’), she wore the tiara he presented to her for the first time to the awards ceremony. In 2012, the Mike Todd Tiara, along with Taylor’s famous collection of jewelry, sold for a staggering $4,226,500 at Christie’s.
Elizabeth Taylor won her first Oscar for Best Actress in 1961 for her role as Gloria Wandrous in ‘Butterfield 8.’ Following the tragic death of her third husband Mike Todd in 1958, Taylor married Eddie Fisher a year later. Her fourth husband accompanied Taylor to the 33rd Academy Awards, and the award-winning actress wore a solid chartreuse sleeveless-turned-white floral gown by Christian Dior with a red flower accent at the waist. She wore a pair of dazzling diamond and pearl drop earrings for the occasion.
In 1965, the Best Actress Oscar was awarded to Julie Andrews for her now-iconic role playing Mary Poppins in the eponymous film, wearing a bright yellow A-line dress and gorgeous diamond fringe necklace.
At the 39th Academy Awards in 1967, Elizabeth Taylor won her second Best Actress Oscar for ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’, to which she wore her famous Bulgari emerald suite of jewels. In 2012, the suite of emerald and diamond jewels fetched fetched a total of $24,799,000 when it went up for auction at Christie’s.
The BVLGARI Emerald Suite, a suite of emerald and diamond jewelry (lots 26-31) fetched a total of $24,799,000 (£15,871,360/€19,095,230). Comprising a pendant brooch which achieved $6,578,500 (£4,210,240/ €5,065,445) setting a record price for an emerald jewel and an emerald per carat ($280,000); necklace ($6,130,500 /£3,923,520/ €4,720,485); ring ($3,330,500/£2,131,520/ €2,564,485); flower brooch ($1,538,500/£984,640/ €1,184,645); bracelet ($4,002,500/ £2,561,600/ €3,081,925) and earrings ($3,218,500/£2,059,840/ €2,478,245), the suite was acquired between 1962 and 1967. The majority of these jewels were selected over many repeat trips to the BVLGARI boutique on the Via Condotti in Rome.
At the 42nd Academy Awards in 1970, Elizabeth Taylor wore a custom violet chiffon dress designed by Edith Head, complete with a plunging neckline to showcase the 69-carat pear-shaped diamond that her fifth husband Richard Burton purchased for her, originally as a ring, from Cartier for the rumored price tag of $1.1 million. After their second divorce, Taylor auctioned the diamond in 1978 for $5,000,000, which was used to build a hospital in Botswana.
A presenter at the 47th Academy Awards in 1975, Jennifer O’Neill wore a dramatic gold choker link bib necklace for the ceremony.
After winning the Oscar for Best Actress (‘Places of the Heart’) in 1985, Sally Field truly believed that everyone really like her. What I really like about her is the darling diamond bow necklace and delicate diamond jewels she wore that night.
In 1991, Sophia Loren received an Honorary Oscar at the 63rd Academy Awards. She wore a pair of spectacular gem-set chandelier earrings and a gold geometric wide bangle bracelet for the momentous occasion.
Elizabeth Taylor again outdoes everyone in the jewelry department at the Academy Awards, this time donning a gorgeous diamond daisy necklace from Van Cleef & Arpels when she received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Oscars in 1993. She had the necklace custom-made and added it to her jewelry collection.
Uma Thurman‘s sleek violet dress by Prada helped redefine glamour on the red carpet. She wore an equally sleek and elegant diamond rivière necklace, diamond bracelet and diamond studs to complete the simply stunning look.
Kate Winslet wearing a pink Vivienne Westwood gown and an Edwardian diamond necklace from Martin Katz at the 1996 Academy Awards.
Also in 1996, Mira Sorvino won the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for “Mighty Aphrodite” at the 68th Academy Awards wearing a Giorgio Armani strapless gown and an elegant diamond fringe necklace and matching earrings.
The definition of glamour on the Oscars Red Carpet changed entirely when Nicole Kidman stepped foot on the crimson runway in 1997. Her chartreuse embroidered John Galliano for Christian Dior shift dress was perfectly paired with Mogul Indian jewelry from Martin Katz, an eternally electrifying looks that made the actress’s mark as a Hollywood fashion icon.
Also in 1997, Salma Hayek showed how to adorn the up-do with diamonds, wearing a diamond tiara to match her shimmery Armani gown.
Madonna turned heads wearing a floor-length Olivier Theyskens coat-dress at the 1998 Oscars. She paired a beautiful vintage necklace from Fred Leighton to reign in the look.
Gwyneth Paltrow channeled the timeless elegance of Grace Kelly in her pink princess gown by Ralph Lauren and Harry Winston jewels. After winning the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in ‘Shakespeare in Love,’ her parents later purchased the $160,000 40-carat princess necklace for her as a gift – Harry Winston through in the $25,000 earrings at no charge.
Hilary Swank, winning the Best Actress Oscar for her part in ‘Boys Don’t Cry,’ adorned her strapless bronze silk duppioni Randolph Duke gown with $250,000 diamond necklace from of Asprey & Garrard. The necklace was originally created for one of Queen Victoria’s daughters in 1890 and can be turned into a tiara.
Another most memorable Oscar look, Charlize Theron set the red carpet ablaze in a plunging tangerine bias-cut chiffon by Vera Wang with a pair of Fred Leighton diamond clips and diamond bracelet.
Her first time as an Oscar presenter, Heather Graham paired her Versace gown with a 50-carat diamond briolette choker from Fred Leighton in 2000.
Winning the Oscar for Best Actress for playing the lead role in ‘Erin Brokovich,’ Julia Roberts wore vintage (’82) black-velvet Valentino couture and Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry. Roberts wore a 22-carat diamond “Snowflake” bracelet lent to her by Van Cleef & Arpels, which was bought one month later by singer Luis Miguel for $91,000 for Mariah Carey, his girlfriend at the time.
Marcia Gay Harden wore this burgundy strapless dress with matching wrap by Randolph Duke to the 73rd Academy Awards in 2001, where she won for her supporting role in the film ‘Pollock’. She wore a stunning diamond collar necklace to add to the Old Hollywood glamour.
Jennifer Lopez sure knows how to shine and wearing Fred Leighton diamond chandelier earrings with her Chanel dress at the 2001 Oscars definitely helps.
Nominated for Best Actress for her role in ‘Moulin Rouge’, Nicole Kidman walked the Oscars Red Carpet in 2002 in pale pink Chanel couture column dress and a $4-million, 241-carat raw-diamond Bulgari necklace that she helped design.
Making Oscar history, Halle Berry, wearing a peek-a-boo embroidered gown by couturier Elie Saab, won the Best Actress Oscar in 2002 —the first ever awarded to an African-American actress – for her role in ‘Monster’s Ball,’ wearing the important orange ‘Pumpkin Diamond’ ring then worth $3 million from Harry Winston.
In 2003, big baubles were popular at the 75th Academy Awards – especially dangling earrings. Best Actress nominee Julianne Moore (‘Far from Heaven’) paired her specially-made emerald green Yves Saint Laurent strapless silk georgette (originally shown in rose on the runway) with matching emerald pendant earrings from Boucheron.
Winning the Oscar for Best Actress playing Virginia Woolf in ‘The Hours,’ Nicole Kidman looked seriously gorgeous in a deep-blue, slit-to-there sheath dress by Jean Paul Gaultier in 2003 and diamond chandelier earrings from Fred Leighton.
Jennifer Lopez walked the Oscars Red Carpet in 2003 wearing a mint-green Valentino dress and should-duster diamond earrings from Fred Leighton worth $250,000.
Keeping on trend with dangling earrings at the 2003 Oscars, Kate Hudson also wore a pair of earrings with 43-carats of diamonds, also from Fred Leighton, with her Versace dress; her’s were worth a reported $200,000
Sarah Jessica Parker made waves in this cotton candy pink Chanel couture gown and diamonds jewels in 2003.
Meryl Streep chose a unique Art Nouveau necklace with diamonds and emerald drops, valued at about $150,000, from Fred Leighton to add excitement to her simple black ball gown in 2003.
The glamour continued on to 2004, with more sequins, shimmer and sparkle.
Winning the Oscar for Best Actress for her lead role in ‘Monster,’ Charlize Theron wore a beaded gown by Tom Ford for Gucci and Chopard drop earrings with 46 diamonds as well as a diamond lattice bracelet by Chopard.
Jennifer Garner wore a vibrant orange vintage Valentino gown and matched it with a Bulgari ring, Fred Leighton bracelets and diamond-and-crystal drop earrings at the 2004 Oscars.
Nominated for Best Actress for her role in ’21 Grams’ in 2004, Naomi Watts brought some brilliant wattage to the Red Carpet in a beaded nude Versace gown, chosen Oscar day, and 5-carat pink-diamond Fred Leighton earrings.
Wearing a $550,000 vintage Cartier diamond necklace and a matching diamond bracelet and ring, Renee Zellweger took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in ‘Cold Mountain’ in 2004. She wore a crisp white silk draped-bodice dress by Carolina Herrera.
Truly bringing the diamond bling to the 2004 Oscars was Angelina Jolie, who wore a white silk-satin halter gown by Marc Bouwer and a $10 million, 85-carat Athena necklace, on loan from H. Stern, featuring D-flawless diamonds.
Nicole Kidman was as elegant as ever at the 2004 Oscars in a Chanel dress, which took 400-plus hours to sew the crystals on the couture creation, and a Bulgari custom-made this 195-carat green-diamond necklace.
In 2005, Kirsten Dunst wins my award for best jewel at the Oscars – Diana Vreeland’s rock crystal and diamond cuff bracelet by Suzanne Belperron (then from Fred Leighton and now privately owned), which she matched with a sleek, black lace Chanel frock.
Performing at the 2005 Oscars, Beyoncé dressed to impress in a strapless velvet Versace gown and Lorraine Schwartz diamond earrings and bracelet.
The Phantom of the Opera star Emmy Rossum shines in a classic ruby Ralph Lauren gown paired with matching diamond and ruby jewels from Harry Winston at the 2005 Oscars. The necklace has 28 carats of diamonds and 38 carats of rubies.
House of Flying Daggers actress and Oscar presenter Ziyi Zhang wore a glamorous black Monique Lhuillier gown and a glittering 42-carat diamond necklace and 3-carat diamond earrings by Bulgari in 2005.
In 2005, Kate Winslet, wearing a Badgley Mischka dress, accessorized with $750,000 platinum and diamond Neil Lane earrings that matched the jewels clipped to her gown. She also wore a pair of Art Deco-style diamond bracelets on each wrist.
Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon, who won Best Actress for her role in ‘Walk the Line,’ also won rave reviews for her vintage 1955 Christian Dior gown, which she herself found in a vintage shop in Paris, and her subdued coral earrings, diamond right-hand ring, and 19th century diamond bird hair pin by Fred Leighton.
Best Actress nominee (‘Pride & Prejudice’) Kiera Knightley chose an impressive vintage Bulgari necklace, circa 1960s, to go with her deep mauve Vera Wang gown.
Counted as one of the best looks of all time, Michelle Williams radiated in a mustard-hued, beautifully pleated and tucked Vera Wang with vintage Fred Leighton jewels in 2006.
Also wearing vintage Fred Leighton jewels in 2006 was Jennifer Lopez, who paired the gold and diamond pieces with a vintage Jean Desses dress.
2007
Following her Best Supporting Actress win the prior year, Rachel Weisz looked even better in 2007 wearing Vera Wang and a 1948 diamond brooch by Cartier that she wore as a pendant.
Gwyneth Paltrow wore a tulle Zac Posen dress and a stack of Fred Leighton diamond bracelets and rose-cut diamond chandelier earrings.
Oscar presenter Anne Hathaway, wearing a Valentino dress, covered herself in jewelry for the big night: white pearl and diamond pendant earrings, diamond bracelets with more than 100 carats and a 13-carat diamond ring, all from Van Cleef and Arpels.
Nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for ‘Notes on a Scandal,’ Cate Blanchett set off her sleek metallic Armani gown with striking Lorraine Schwartz jewels, including a black-and-white diamond earrings set in blackened metal, a diamond cuff and a blackened diamond right-hand ring.
Cameron Diaz, presenting at the 2007 Oscars, accessorized her white Valentino dress with $2.9 million in Cartier jewels, including a 9-carat cabochon emerald and 65-carat diamond earrings.
The singer complemented her simple vintage Galanos gown with Lily et Cie diamond cuff bracelets and diamond hoop earrings along with Van Cleef and Arpels 7-carat pins from her own collection.
Penelope Cruz, nominated for Best Actress of her role in ‘Volver,’ added some sparkle to her silk tulle ruffly Atelier Versace gown with Chopard 20-carat diamond cluster earrings, a 30-carat yellow-and-white-diamond flower bracelet and a 10-carat yellow diamond ring.
Wearing an ombré Nina Ricci gown, the 2006 Best Actress winner Reese Witherspoon complemented her look with Van Cleef & Arpels jewels, including an 83-carat 1938 diamond ‘Cambodian’ bracelet and 12.5-carat diamond earrings. The bracelet was once worn by bombshell Anita Ekberg.
Nicole Kidman‘s stylist L’Wren Scott (in collaboration with jeweler William Goldberg) custom-designed her cuffs, which featured 375 carats of raw diamonds and were worth a million dollars each. The bracelets brilliantly complemented her stunning red Balenciaga dress.
Jennifer Lopez wore a custom-made Marchesa gown that sparkled almost as brightly as her Lorraine Schwartz jewels. In keeping with the muted gown and soft makeup, the presenter wore 20-carat Lorraine Schwartz gray-and-champagne diamond earrings with peach rose-cut diamond drops.
2008
Jennifer Garner lit her black silk taffeta Oscar de la Renta fishtail gown with plenty of Van Cleef & Arpels diamonds.
Jessica Alba also chose to stack a series of vintage bracelets, but her’s are by Cartier. One is a priceless ruby and diamond bracelet signed Cartier Paris and features ten oval faceted rubies with pavé diamonds set in yellow and white gold. Another diamond bracelet is designed with a shell motif and retails for $44,000, while a third bracelet of diamonds set in yellow gold retails for $39,000. Alba also wore Cartier diamond hoop earrings to complement her deep-purple feathered Marchesa gown.
In a spectacularly glamorous Chanel Haute Couture navy feather embroidered gown, designed by Karl Lagerfeld just for her, Penelope Cruz accessorized with a Roger Vivier clutch and Chopard ruby and diamond drop earrings, a fancy shaped diamond bracelet and a marquise-cut diamond ring.
A pregnant Nicole Kidman adorned her custom Balenciaga gown with a necklace with 1,399 carats of diamonds designed by L’Wren Scott.
The Best Actress winner for playing Edith Piaf in ‘La Vie en Rose,’ Marion Cotillard channeled a modern mermaid in her intricately detailed custom-made Jean Paul Gaultier gown, Chopard diamond necklaces – set with 170-carats of diamonds – and ring.
Renee Zellweger sparkled in her silver hand-embroidered Carolina Herrera gown and vintage Cartier jewels. The Private Collection Flower Diamond Brooch at her bosom, circa 1941, is set with round old-cut and single-cut diamonds, and is considered to be priceless. A second vintage Cartier brooch is set with over 45 carats of diamonds and valued at $262,000. A Cartier Art Deco Diamond Bracelet, retailing at $563,000 and fashioned with nearly 400 diamonds set into platinum, encircles Ms. Zellweger’s wrist. Two more bracelets, also considered to be priceless, are stacked on top, both are from the 1920′s and set with a mixture of diamonds: pear shapes, round old-cuts and rose cut stones.
In a deep emerald green strapless Proenza Schouler gown, Amy Adams was alight wearing vintage Fred Leighton jewels and purse.
2009
Looking ever-so-elegant and sleek in a dazzling Armani strapless silver gown, Anne Hathaway upped the sparkling ante with vintage and contemporary Cartier jewels worth a total of over $1.25 million.
A striking contrast to her black Elie Saab couture gown, Angelina Jolie‘s spectacular Lorraine Schwartz 115-carat Colombian emerald drop earrings and matching 65-carat ring ushered in a new trend for all things emerald.
Taraji Henson‘s tiered Roberto Cavalli gown and styled bob offered the perfect frame for the Fred Leighton 19th-century diamond flower necklace she chose for her first trip to the Oscars in 2009.
Marion Cotillard picked up the blue accents in her Dior Couture gown with a 125-carat sapphire necklace and a 13-carat sapphire ring with an emerald cabochon by Chopard.
Making a statement on the red carpet, Amy Adams wore a large 1960s bib necklace from Fred Leighton to add some sparkle to her red Carolina Herrera dress.
Nominee Marisa Tomei wore a pearl gray Versace Atelier satin organza ball gown, satin open-toe heels with jewel detailing and estate jewels from Van Cleef & Arpels, including a vintage 1943 estate sapphire and diamond gold bracelet (sapphires total over 51 carats and 5 carats of diamonds).
Nicely balancing her black strapless Dolce & Gabana dress, Diane Lane wore a darkened diamond and platinum fringed necklace from Neil Lane. Her bracelet, earrings and two of her rings are also from Neil Lane.
Amanda Seyfried added some sparkle to her red Valentino gown with a vintage floral diamond statement necklace from Fred Leighton.
2010
On the biggest night of her acting career, Sandra Bullock took home the Oscar for Best Actress (‘The Blind Side’) wearing a shimmering gold beaded Marchesa gown with delicate floral embroidery on the bodice. She took a nod toward Old Hollywood, and much respect from myself, by wearing her own diamond jewels, including a pair of diamond studs and a diamond line bracelet – both designed by Neil Lane.
Best Supporting Actress nominee Anna Kendrick was pretty in a soft pink off-the-shoulder, hand-draped gown from Elie Saab Couture and Kwiat jewelry.
Demi Moore chose jewels by Van Cleef & Arpels to adorn her Atelier Versace tiered blush gown, including pearl tassel earrings, a pair of diamond and platinum bracelets, a Tahitian pearl ring and a ‘Flame’ clip in her hair.
Wearing a Donna Karan couture duchess satin pleated gown, the Best Support Actress nominee Penelope Cruz chose Chopard jewelry to light up the red carpet. She wore 18-carat pear-shaped diamond drop earrings, a 23-carat asscher diamond and platinum bracelet, a 28-carat emerald-cut diamond and platinum bracelet and a 16-carat diamond and white gold pavé band cocktail ring.
Fresh from her win the previous year, Kate Winslet rocked the red carpet in a champagne bustier-topped Yves Saint Laurent dress and a $2.5 million Tiffany & Co. diamond necklace. Her Tiffany jewels included a pair of 10-carat yellow diamond drop earrings (valued at $975,000), yellow diamond bracelets, an a custom-made yellow diamond pendant necklace created exclusively for the actress.
Presenter Sarah Jessica Parker dared in a pale yellow Chanel Haute Couture gown with silver embroidery at the neckline, which she accented with a stack of bracelets, 19th century earrings and a 9-carat diamond ring – all from Fred Leighton.
Nominate for Best Actress (‘An Education’), Carey Mulligan was stunning in a Prada gown with Swarovski crystal embellishment – including tiny forks, knives, bolts, watch gears and scissors – which she paired with shoulder-duster 19th century diamond earrings from Fred Leighton.
Also selecting vintage Fred Leighton jewels was Best Supporting Actress nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal (‘Crazy Heart’), who wore a slim, blue brushstroke-print Dries van Noten gown. The jewels included vintage ivory and diamond calla lily pendant earrings, an 18k yellow gold and diamond bracelet, and a platinum and diamond bracelet with a large cabochon emerald and sapphire and brooch.
Ruffles fluttered Vera Farmiga, nominated for Best Supporting Actress (‘Up in the Air’), who wore a fan-pleated fuchsia Marchesa gown and vintage Fred Leighton jewels. She wore a pair of 1930s opal and diamond ear clips, a diamond and platinum leaf hair clip brooch, and a 1940s diamond cluster ring.
‘Avatar’ star Zoe Saldana chose a dramatic Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci ruffled purple gown and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry for her look on the red carpet. The jewels include a custom 20-carat bronzed platinum diamond drop earrings and an 80-carat amethyst and diamond inlay ring.
Elizabeth Banks keeps cool in a silvery blue-gray Versace gown with layered chiffon train and vintage Fred Leighton jewels, including a blackened gold diamond headband, 19th century diamond flower ear clips and a 19th century sapphire and diamond cluster ring.
Julianne Moore offset her shimmery white custom Calvin Klein collection gown with glittering Bulgari jewels, which included 1930s platinum and diamond bracelets and a 22-carat sugarloaf emerald ring.
Presenter Miley Cyrus was golden in a bustier-top Jenny Packham gown and Lorraine Schwartz jewels, including bronzed diamond and ruby flower earrings, a 200-carat bronzed diamond corset cuff bracelet and a 10-carat ruby ring with pavé diamond band.
Showing a fabulous taste in fine vintage jewelry, Christine Taylor selected the necklace from the ‘Virreina’ suite of jewels and a pair of vintage emerald and diamond earrings from Stephen Russell. The rare emerald and diamond necklace is circa 1780 and of royal provenance. and features a 10.76-carat Old Mine Colombian emerald and 3 emeralds approximately 4-carats total weight.
2011
Radiant in a raspberry-hued off-the-shoulder, empire-wasited Rodarte gown, the pregnant Natalie Portman won the Oscar for Best Actress (‘Black Swan’) wearing matching Tiffany & Co. rubellite tassel earrings with rose-cut diamond posts. She also wore a Tiffany & Co. diamond ring designed by Jean Schlumberger.
Nominated for Best Supporting Actress (‘The Fighter’), Amy Adams added a bit o