2012 Oscar Jewelry Round Up: The Top Ten from Tinseltown

 

Oscar jewelry at the 84th Academy Awards was an elegant affair complete with Wonder Woman cuffs, capes and crazy carats galore.

While some of my Oscar predictions came true (Angelina wore studs. Again; gold dresses were everywhere; blue sapphires made a showing, statement earrings are still trending) - others totally missed the mark (necklaces weren't the no-show I thought they were going to be - not by a long shot).

For fashion followers, the colors of the night were a mix of devilish red and angelic white - with a lot of black or black and gold and a smattering of blues/purples.

Here's the ubiquitous Top Ten List for your reading pleasure. Be sure to weigh in with your rants and raves!

TOP TEN (in no particular order):

1.  Gwenyth Paltrow

Gwenyth Paltrow, in a white, caped Tom Ford number and a 6-inch diamond cuff by Anna Hu and tons of right hand rings had all the crazy jewelry-loving tweeps on the Live Tweet Fest (#oscarjewelry) gasping for air.

2. Viola Davis

Viola Davis sparkled in green emerald stunners by Lorraine Schwartz and a Vera Wang masterpiece (I love you, Meryl, but Ms. Davis SO deserved the Oscar this year. Sigh)

3. Michelle Williams

 

Michelle Williams wore 30-carats of old mine-cut diamond ice by Fred Leighton for Forevermark around her neck and added a bow brooch on her dress (not pictured) to boot. Perfection. Almost too perfect, perhaps?

4. Stacey Keibler

Stacey Keibler wowed in marvelous Marchesa and Lorraine Schwartz earrings (that I swear I've seen on Beyonce before).

That dress was simply made for her - a nice consolation when George shows up with someone else next year.

5. Octavia Spencer

Big winner, Octavia Spencer, looked lovely in the night's white color trend (another Tadashi Shoji number) and platinum and diamond deco-drops from Neil Lane.

6. Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman in Harry Winston. Classic. Elegant. And a one doozy of a necklace sighting - the night's most surprising trend!

7. Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain won big in $2 million worth of Harry Winston jewels and an Alexander McQueen number that had the red carpet buzzing.

8. Penelope Cruz

Penelope Cruz sparkled in another stunning riviere necklace (a la Michelle Wiliams) and diamond clusters by Chopard. And that dress! To die!

9. Milla Jovovich

Milla Jovovich was the first 'big' star on the red carpet, and she set the bar high in this stunning white beaded Elie Saab number and Jacob & Co. diamond jewels. Big win!

10. Emma Stone

And finally...I'll go with Emma Stone's rockin rubies by Louis Vuitton EVEN THOUGH SHE WORE THE SAME DRESS AS NICOLE KIDMAN from the Oscars a few years ago. Fashion faux pas, my dear.

The losers for me were Shailene Woodley in a dress meant for someone twice her age, Rooney Mara for boycotting jewelry altogether (even though her Givenchy couture dress was divine, and Sandra Bullock in barely there diamond drops (zzzzzzzz......)

And finally. Angelina Jolie wore $2.5 million of Neil Lane diamond ice in the form of some back brooches and (wait for it....) diamond friggin studs. Again with the studs? Yeah, I'm disappointed, but when you can rock a frock like that (the audience literally applauded her legs when they appeared on stage)? Who needs jewelry.

So who am I missing? Weigh in with your thoughts - and be sure to check out the Oscar Sale I curated for Jewelry.com with looks inspired by many of my favorites of the night!

2012 Oscar Jewelry Predictions

With the 84th Academy Awards a mere days away, it's time - once again - to put the champagne on ice and dish out some juicy Oscar jewelry predictions. You know you love 'em.

But first, a quick reminder that this Sunday at 6pm EST all the jewelry-loving tweeps will be using the #oscarjewelry hashtag to Live Tweet all the red carpet shenanigans.

We may not have a Glam Cam - but we've got fangs sharper than a diamond shard when it comes to arm-chair quarterbacking the fashion choices of the A list. AND we play drinking games. Me-OW! 

Prediction #1 - Wonder Woman Cuffs

 

I just participated in a Style Counsel piece for InDesign Mag where we 'trend spotter' types all touted the arrival of the double cuff on the red carpet. Sofia Vergara, Elle McPherson, Kate Beckinsale and Nicole Ritchie all sported the look during Awards Season this year, and the trend is likely to continue on Sunday night.

Why wear one gazillion-dollar piece of arm candy, when you can have two?

Prediction #2 - Neckwear No-Show

One would think the 'case of the missing necklace' would be solved now that Lindsay Lohan is the 'home stretch' of her community service - BUT - the little devils just aren't coming out to play at all on the red carpet lately.

Gone are the bib necklaces of Awards Shows past (like this stunner on Amy Adams in 2008). We're not even getting a decent-sized diamond Y-neck!

While I may be off here, I'm thinking the statement earring trend is where the big boys are going to play again this year - and with designer Lorraine Schwartz dominating the red carpet, I'm sure the celebs have been doing their ear lobe exercises all week.

Prediction #3 - Blue Sapphires

 

Emerald jewelry has become the gemstone of choice when it comes to adding a splash of color to a red carpet look - from Angelina Jolie's emerald earrings in 2009 to Reese Witherspoon last year.

 

BUT - the 2012 runways have been swimming in a sea of blue hues (Chanel Couture, Anna Sui, Oscar de la Renta and more), and I think the jewelry world may just follow suit. Just a hunch.

Prediction #4 - Golden Gowns

While shiny dresses may be an 'easy way out' when it comes to making a statement on the red carpet (Taylor Swift, anyone?) metallics are - indeed - trending, with Badgley Mischka, Naeem Kahn, Marchesa and many more featuring them in their Fall 2012 RTW shows.

The vintage sequined look of the Great Gatsby-era is also big right now - and so are those long, head-to-toe sequined looks that belong to the Alexis Carrington/Dynasty days of the 80s.

So, ladies. When in doubt? Wear a big shiny dress to the Oscars. At least you'll make the Joan Rivers "Best List".


Prediction #5 - Angelina Jolie and Michelle Williams Will Wear Studs

I've given up hope that Angelina will bring us another Lorraine Schwartz jewelry juggernaut like the emeralds of yesteryear. Every time I think: "THIS is going to be the event where she graces us with something other than studs, hoops or 'just Brad' in the accessory department," well..I wind up as disappointed as a tree-hugger at a logger convention.

Coming in a close second on the list of "Can't Seem to Top Her Own Fabulosity"? Michelle Williams.

I LOVED her 2006 Tangerine Dream of an Oscar dress and her 19th Century vintage diamond necklace from Fred Leighton was the perfect complement. But these days? I haven't seen her sparkle in anything other than barely-there studs and an eye twinkle. Zzzzzz......

C'mon A-listers! It's the Oscars. I want to wear a bib to catch the drool this year. I want my jaw to hit the floor so hard I have to put in carpet to cover the cracks. I want Kelly Osbourne's hair color to return to something resembling... 'human'.

But I digress...

With Jennifer Lopez, Halle Berry, Natalie Portman, Penelope Cruz, and Emma Stone all presenting, I'm sure there will be plenty of jewelry conniption fits to complement my champagne.

What are your thoughts about the Oscar line-up this year? Agree, disagree with my predictions? Weigh in...and be sure to check Jewelry.com on Monday where our post-Oscar coverage will include my Oscar Jewelry For Less Sale, a thorough round up of all the night's best bling and more!

We gawk harder...so you don't have to.

Oscar Jewelry Hall of Fame

It's Oscar Week, and to get the jewelry juices flowing I've collected what I (humbly) think are some of the best Oscar jewelry moments for your gawking pleasure.

As with any list, I'm sure I've missed many of your favorites - so be sure to weigh in with your rants and raves. And no - Bjork's "egg" didn't make the cut.

So...without further ado...


#10 Beyonce

Beyonce was the belle of the ball at the 2005 Oscars in these huge diamond danglers - a trend I think we'll see again on the carpet this year.

#9 Hilary Swank

I really loved the delicacy of Hilary Swank's diamond necklace at the 2000 Oscars - a $250,000 Asprey & Garrard stunner.  This year's Golden Globes copied the sentiment with a bevy of beauties sporting delicate neckwear in lacey silhouettes.

#8 Cher

Any Oscar Top Ten List has to include Cher, right? I'm going with her black Bob Mackie shoulder duster look from 1986 - but there are oh so many others to choose from. Where's the Oscar nod for Burlesque, people?

#7 Nicole Kidman

2011 nominee, Nicole Kidman, has many Oscar triumphs, but I'm going with these yellow gold Indian dream catcher earrings that she paired with that history-making absynthe green Dior dress from 1995. Tom who?

#6 Amy Adams

2009 was a bang-up year for Oscar jewelry, and Amy Adams 'almost' won the night with this gemstone bib necklace from Fred Leighton (see #2 for the night's big jewelry winner).

#5 Michelle Williams

This 19th century diamond necklace from Fred Leighton was the perfect complement to one of my all-time favorite Oscar gowns - the tangerine dream from Vera Wang on Michelle Williams back in 2006. I can't WAIT to see what she'll be wearing this year!

#4 Gwenyth Paltrow

Before she was prancing around with muppets in pink feather dusters, Gwennie made Oscar fashion history in that pale pink Ralph Lauren piece of perfection and a gorgeous 40-carat, $160,000 diamond necklace - given to her by her parents. And the world's G-Pal love/hate relationship was born...


#3 Keira Knightley

Talk about making a statement. This vintage Bulgari collar necklace on Keira Knightley spawned an entire look-alike industry back in 2006. And with good reason, right?

#2 Angelina Jolie

Yeah. Of course. Those emeralds. I couldn't come up with enough adjectives back in 2009 to describe them. They still make my salivary glands go into overdrive.

#1 Elizabeth Taylor

What would we jewelry hounds do without Dame Liz? No one has been able to top her 1970 Oscar jewelry jaw-dropper from Cartier - a 69-carat teardrop rock aptly named the Taylor-Burton diamond that perfectly complemented her dress(!) - an Edith Head creation designed to match her friggin eyes!


Big, deep breath....

Said Ms. Taylor about her little bauble,

"Originally, I wore the diamond as a ring, but even for me it was too big, so we had Cartier design a necklace. I'm still sick that I sold it some years later."

So what will the beautiful people bring us this year? Will Rachel Zoe go bannanas with Anne Hathaway's Oscar style? Will Nicole Kidman bring it or bore us?  Stay tuned...and check back later in the week for my Oscar jewelry predictions!