2023 Oscars Jewelry: Who Will Wear What?

At the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 12, storied houses such as Cartier, Tiffany & Co., and Bulgari throw open their vaults, loaning their finest high jewelry and archival pieces to nominees and presenters. Jewelers clamor for months behind the scenes to dress the industry’s most sought-after names… and rumor has it that there is discreet elbowing among the participants, too, to score favorite pieces.

“The Oscars are the most prestigious of the awards shows,” says fine jewelry publicist Francesca Simons. “There’s a massive turnout of celebrities for the show and for the Vanity Fair/Elton John party. Everyone’s wanting to see who’s attending and what they’re wearing.”

What jewelry trends might we see on this year’s red carpet?

Front and center will be nominee Cate Blanchett, up for Best Actress for her role in Tár. As a brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton High Jewelry’s “Spirit” collection, Blanchett often turns to the French house for her red carpet looks.

At the BAFTAs in February, the actress donned one of the year’s top trends, a statement necklace from Louis Vuitton featuring a 23.78 carat Nigerian tourmaline, Tahitian pearls, and diamonds. At Blanchett’s request, all the gems were repurposed from existing pieces, highlighting the actress’s commitment to sustainability.

“Your effort to focus on re-wearing and repurposing led us to this necklace… I loved making this necklace with you!” Louis Vuitton’s artistic director of jewelry Francesca Amfitheatrof wrote in an Instagram post.

Bold necklaces have dominated the awards show red carpets this year, as have pieces from design house’s high jewelry collections. “High jewelry” is a term that refers to a new capsule collection of collector-worthy, one-of-a-kind pieces from a jewelry house. It compares to couture in fashion: the ultimate expression of the craft.

At the SAG Awards, Zendaya’s joyous necklace from Bulgari’s high jewelry collection, fashioned from diamonds and colored stones including spinels, tanzanite, morganite and aquamarine, channeled Marilyn Monroe, and would have been at home in a 1950s Hollywood musical.

Emily Blunt also stunned in Bulgari high jewelry at the SAGs, wearing a rose gold collar studded with diamonds and more than 20 rubies from Serpenti, a special collection released this year from the house celebrating the 75th anniversary of its serpent motif.

At the Golden Globes, Rihanna, who memorialized her love of diamonds in her chart-topping song of the same name, opted for a statement necklace from Cartier’s Sixième Sens High Jewelry collection made of 18k white gold and (of course) her favorite stones. All eyes will be on the singer and her jewels when she performs her Oscar-nominated hit “Lift Me Up” at Sunday’s ceremony.

In addition to bold necklaces, statement earrings are another trending look on the red carpet.

“Earrings and necklaces are definitely the strongest categories right now, especially with bright colored stones,” says Simon, noting several recent attendees at the SAG Awards in February.

Amanda Seyfried’s diamond and emerald earrings, from Cartier’s the Sixième Sens High Jewelry collection, somehow combine Art Deco and contemporary influences. Michelle Yeoh nabbed a Best Actress award in yellow and white diamond chandelier earrings from Moussaief, while Angela Bassett paired her canary yellow dress with oversized diamond drops from De Beers. Princess Kate Middleton even dabbled in the oversized earring trend at the BAFTAs, opting for the bold look—albeit with a pedestrian pedigree: a $28 Zara creation fashioned from rhinestones and metal.

Jewelry houses often time the arrival of their high jewelry collections—which continuously circumnavigate the globe—to awards show locations. For example, De Beers “Alchemist of Light” high jewelry collection, which includes innovative pieces made of colored titanium and diamonds, is currently in the U.S. and likely to appear on a nominee on Sunday.

What jewels will Hollywood’s royalty wear for the industry’s biggest night? Unlike some of the nominated movies this year, they will not disappoint. Tune in Sunday for the dazzling reveal.