The Academy Awards (or The Oscars as they’re now known) has been honouring cinematic achievement since 1929. Yet, for many of the millions of people who tune in from around the world (36.6 million this year) to watch the annual ceremony, it’s the fashionista drama of the red carpet that provides much of the excitement. No less in terms of the jewels as the gowns.
Diamonds everywhere
2015 was all about diamonds. Harry Winston diamonds, to be precise. Nicole Kidman, who was presenting at the ceremony, attended dripping in more that $7M of them alone. Including some 7-carat emerald-cut diamond ear studs, an 82-carat Caftan diamond bracelet, a 16.5-carat emerald-cut diamond solitaire ring and a 5.3-carat bezel-set diamond band ring.
Continuing the Winston theme, model Karolina Kurkova also shone in 85 carats of Winston gems, including: two bracelets, one a 34 carat Secret Cluster diamond bracelet and the other a Cluster one of 28 carats; two lobe-hugging 14 carat diamond earrings; and a 7 carat diamond ring to complete her simple, elegant look.
The big statement
After wowing the crowds last year in the most expensive dress in Oscar history, Cate Blanchett’s outfit created a stir once again thanks to a vivid injection of blue from her oversize Tiffany bib necklace of turquoise, aquamarine and diamonds; offset by a plain black, floor length gown.
Zipped tight
While stealing the limelight elsewhere, actress Margot Robbie was seen wearing a vintage style Van Cleef & Arples Zip necklace with diamonds and sapphires in yellow gold.
The $1.5M piece is based on one of Van Cleef & Arples’ most iconic designs, the original concept for which came from the former Duchess of Windsor and fine jewellery lover, Wallis Simpson, who suggested the idea of a zip fastener to Renée Puissant (the Maison’s artistic director and daughter of Alfred Van Cleef) in 1938. The necklace, which was eventually realized in 1951 and took 800 hours to make, fully functions as a zip and can be altered to wear either around the neck or wrist.
Though Margot looked effortlessly glamorous and relaxed, the 24-year-old told an interviewer: “This necklace right here is worth more than my life. I’m so scared… I keep checking to make sure it’s still there.”
Making the headlines
One actress for whom such concerns became all too real however was Lapita Nyong, who attended the ceremony wearing a Celvin Klein dress made of what was reported to be 6,000 Akoya pearls. The dress was stolen from Lapita’s hotel room later that night, though returned a few days later in a rubbish bag after the thieves discovered the pearls were fakes.
Avoiding the headlines
Though Lapita’s unusual case makes for a great story, not all thieves are quite so considerate.
Few of us will ever walk down the red carpet, let alone wearing $7M worth of diamonds; yet that’s not to say we don’t have pieces of our own that are worth a great deal, both in terms of sentiment as well as financially. Whether it’s your engagement ring or an inherited family collection, arranging the appropriate level of insurance cover is an essential precaution against the heartbreak of theft, loss or damage.
