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!

Oscar, Opulence and Oodles of Jewelry

Oscar de la Renta, Fall 2011 RTW

I've been hearing a lot of jewelry trend talk throughout New York Fashion Week about a return to 'opulence' for Fall 2011, but I had yet to see it with my own eyes.

Until the Oscar de la Renta show.

Oscar de la Renta, Fall 2011 RTW

FINALLY! Jewelry that isn't afraid of its own shadow.

Long, drop earrings in gemstone hues mixed with shoulder dusters styles that could head straight to the red carpet.

Oscar de la Renta, Fall 2011 RTW

Oscar de la Renta, Fall 2011 RTW

Mr. de la Renta loves himself a brooch, and the season's stand-out silhouette - bows - brought the sentiment to life beautifully for this collection.

Oscar de la Renta, Fall 2011 RTW

And then there's the classic beaded necklace for a little ring around the collar glam.

Oscar de la Renta, Fall 2011 RTW

But Oscar de la Renta isn't the only designer throwing caution and carats to the wind this season. Anna Sui is always game for some fun finger flavor.

Anna Sui, Fall 2011 RTW

Anna Sui, Fall 2011 RTW

Anna Sui, Fall 2011 RTW

Anna Sui, Fall 2011 RTW

And Proenza Shouler and Isaac Mizrahi both chose sculptural statment necklaces in black and white to accessorize their lines.

Proenza Schouler, Fall 2011 RTW

Proenza Schouler, Fall 2011 RTW

Isaac Mizrahi, Fall 2011 RTW

I think I'm having a Dorothy moment. The ho-hum days of prairie-wear and pearl strands from earlier shows have just transformed into a technicolor treasure chest of jewels that would make even Glinda blush.

Sure, there's no place like home. But there are no ruby slippers there either.

New York Fashion Week Recap: Pearls, Polka Dots and Prairie-Wear

Donna Karan, Fall 2011 RTW

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week is in full swing in the Big Apple this week, and the jewelry hunting has been slow-going. In all fairness, ready-to-wear collections (vs. couture shows) aren't usually jumping with jewels - the past few years of blinged out bangle-wear and statement-makers were one big exception.

Now that we're headed back toward minimal, sleek looks - the jewelry is following suit with a pretty pendant here a well-placed bracelet there - and the surprise of the season: pearls.

Donna Karan

Like Giorgio Armani did with gemstones in Paris earlier this year, Donna Karan is doing with pearls for her Fall 2011 RTW line. Namely, designing their entire collection around a jewelry style.

Style.com reports:

"Donna Karan named her Fall collection Pearls of Wisdom and recruited Erickson Beamon to design the pearl necklaces that accompanied all the looks and informed the show's all-neutral palette."

Donna Karan

This isn't just good news for Nancy Pelosi, Michelle Obama and the rest of the DC ladies who lunch. Pearl strands are the perfect complement to any ensemble, and designers are getting creative with both shapes and colors this year.

I loved this Lorraine Schwartz pearl cuff spotted on singer/dancer, Mya at the Grammy's, for example.

Lorraine Schwartz cuff on singer, Mya

And here's a unique 'twist' on a classic from JewelClub's sample sale that's a wise choice for both the fashion-forward and the budget-conscious at only $67.60 (down from $199).

 
While polka dots (Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenberg) and prairie-wear (Rodarte) were the two big clothing trends to emerge so far, I'm going to declare 2011 the "Year of the Pearl".

Marc Jacobs

Diane von Furstenberg

Rodarte

What does the jewelry-hound peanut gallery think? Am I on to something? Or is this just a limited runway interpretation of an old classic?

2011 Grammy Awards Jewelry Roundup: It's All In the Wrist

While the whole "Lady Gaga arriving in a big egg" stunt felt a little (um) tired to me, the jewelry fashion was refreshingly fun at the 2011 Grammy Awards, with huge earrings, creative cuffs, statement rings, yellow gold and menfolk in layered looks ruling the night in the trend department.

Here are a few highlights to get the jewelry juices flowing...

I FINALLY had a 2011 lower-jaw-drop moment when I spotted this crazy cuff on Glee diva, Lea Michele. It's by red carpet staple, Lorraine Schwartz, who is also responsible for my second favorite look of the night:

this yellow gold and diamond serpent cuff on Kim Kardashian.Yay!

I also have to applaud Miley Cyrus and Ciara for the winning the "More Is More" award. Maybe it's because I've been so starved for over-the-top jewelry looks this year, but I was happy to see this much sparkle on these young stars.

Big earring looks dusted the sparkling shoulders of everyone from Cyndi Lauper to Snooki:

And as for the fellas? The usual suspects disappointed (Lil Wayne, Diddy) but Seal, Lenny Kravitz and Adam Lambert all rocked the layered necklace look that won the approval of the Twitter Crew (click here to review our fun-filled chat).

With so many folks getting in touch with their inner wacky (Gwenyth? What are you smoking, sister?) I'm sure the Oscars are going to feel like a quaint evening sipping tea by comparison. But I'm ready. Mercedes Benz Fashion Week is a jewelry wasteland so far.... And I'm starving for more!