Oscar Diamond Divas: Red Carpet Jewelry Trends for 2010 & Beyond

“The hype is over, the awards have been announced and the statues have been given out. Now the real race is on: The fight for best dressed on Oscar night begins as soon as the telecast ends. There was a little something for everyone this year–from rippling ruffles to perfect pintucks and from hot pink to glittering gold.

But sometimes the littlest details are the most interesting (and the most expensive!), so let’s take a closer look at the jewel trends that rocked this year’s red carpet.

Delicate Drop Earrings

In years past, massive chandelier earrings were pulling down earlobes all over the country. But 2010 is seeing a more refined–and less weighty–look in the form of small, simple diamond drops. Best Actress-winner Sandra Bullock perfectly illustrated this understated look: Wearing a sparkly metallic Marchesa gown with tons of detail meant toning down her jewels. She chose to wear her own Neil Lane diamond drops in order to show off the dress to its fullest.

Zoe Saldana, star of Avatar, also decided to go this route. Her heavily embellished Givenchy Haute Couture gown was all sparkle on top and all texture on the bottom. The addition of custom-made Lorraine Schwartz bronzed platinum diamond drops offset the look perfectly without making too much of a statement.

Want to get the red carpet look at a price that won’t break the bank? Instead of choosing multi-carat diamond drops, pick a small round shape covered with smaller points of diamonds. Feminine earrings like the Geneviéve or the Frédérique give subtle sparkle that will never go out of style.

Colored Diamonds

While classic white diamonds were all over the Oscar stage, many women broke the mold with elegant–and au courant–colored diamonds. Unlike choosing brightly colored gemstones, most colored diamonds remain within a refined, understated palette of browns, yellows and pinks.

Amanda Seyfried, gorgeous in Armani Privé, paired the bold gown with brown, champagne and mint diamond Geometric Bracelets and a brown diamond ball ring by Lorraine Schwartz. Rachel McAdams, resplendent in a Elie Saab watercolor-patterned strapless dress, matched the muted colors with natural multi-colored diamond earrings also by Lorraine Schwartz. Both of these young stars went with stones that complimented their ensembles–an easy way to finish a look.

One actress who took a different route was Mo’Nique. Radiant in royal blue Tadashi Shoji, the Best Supporting Actress winner accessorized with contrasting yellow diamond jewels from Chopard. Whether you choose to mix or match your diamond colors to your clothes, you can be sure to be noticed.

From the Vault Vintage

Fashion’s biggest night wouldn’t be complete without some jaw-dropping jewels from decades past. Carey Mulligan, Meryl Streep and Sarah Jessica Parker all proved that looking back means looking good. Best Actress-nominee Mulligan went antique with spectacular 19th-Century Fred Leighton cascading diamond earrings and pear-shaped ring, while fashionista Parker’s Leighton pieces were totally retro: A 1950s swirl diamond bracelet was the standout.

Meryl Streep, usually one to wear bold gemstone jewels, went toned-down with classic Leighton square pavé diamond ear clips from the 1920s. Matched with her classic Chris March white column, she looked every bit the movie star. Want to get the look now? Try these Pavé diamond heart earrings for similar shimmer and just as much glam.

To shop an extensive selection of diamond jewelry, log on to Jewels Boutique.”

I did not write the article above; it was sent to me for consideration and I thought it was worth sharing!