Oscars 2015: Stars Dazzle in Jewels on Red Carpet

Jennifer Hudson by Noel West for The New York Times

Jennifer Hudson (Image Credit: Noel West/The New York Times)

By Zahra Al-Kateb

Traditionally the biggest night of the year in Hollywood, the Oscars were once again a platform for showcasing talent, glamour, and thousands of dollars worth of jewelry.

The star studded guest list embraced an abundance of colors on the world’s most scrutinized red carpet. Jennifer Hudson accentuated her pale yellow dress with dazzling diamond and emerald jewels, while actress Cate Blanchett styled her sleek back number with a statement Tiffany & Co. turquoise choker, showcasing her simple yet elegant style. Scandal actress Kerry Washington sparkled in a pair of pink ombre sapphire earrings by Fred Leighton.

Colored stones are now achieving strong prices at auction, according to Susan Ables, Director of US Jewelry for Bonhams. She said: “Rubies are most in demand and command the strongest prices per carat, followed by Kashmir sapphires and then Burmese sapphires and Columbian emeralds.

“While diamonds are typically seen as the more ‘robust’ area in the gemstone market in terms of seeing a return on investment, figures over the last decade demonstrate that colored stones have actually overtaken diamonds in terms of growth.”

The Oscars 2015 also saw the color red dominate, with Solagne, Dakota Johnson and Rosamond pike all opting for scarlet hued dresses. The preference for diamonds as jewels continued to shine through, with Chloe Grace Moretz showcasing unusual ear jackets and stacked diamond bracelets worn by actresses Nicole Kidman and Dakota Johnson, echoing an art deco trend.

A more unusual trend was the fondness for pale, metal and muted colored gowns, some of which were embellished with pearls, beads, opals and moonstones. Oprah Winfrey stunned in a rose Vera Wang Collection gown which was accessorized with pink diamond earrings. Lupita Nyong’o oozed elegance in her opulent pearl Calvin Klein Collection gown embellished with pearls. She styled her dress with a pair of simple diamond earrings.

Some of the most impressive pieces of the night were worn by Margot Robbie, who shined in a Van Cleef & Arpel Zipper necklace originally created for the Duchess of Windsor and worth an estimated $1.5 million. Rita Ora also completed her look with a silver snake necklace by Bvlgari.