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The Most Expensive Red Carpet Jewelry of All Time

Updated: May 27, 2024By Audrey KyanovaCelebrity News
This article originally appeared on Investing.com. It has been republished here with permission.
Zendaya's Jewels ©Handout / Gettyimages.com Zendaya's Jewels ©Handout / Gettyimages.com

Red carpet events like the Oscars or the Golden Globes give the world’s elite the perfect excuse to don a designer gown and look like a million dollars. Equally, fans love looking at what their idols are wearing, who has the best dress, and who’s suit cost an exorbitant amount. Of course, no red carpet outfit would be complete with show-stopping jewelry. 

While you may be used to seeing glittering gems on Disney princesses and Sony stars alike, have you ever stopped to think how much these pieces are worth? Sometimes the price of the diamonds stars wear costs more than the event itself costs to throw – and that’s saying something.  

1. Lady Gaga’s Yellow Diamond

Designer: Vintage
Event: 2019 Academy Awards
Worth: $30 million*

Lady Gaga had the time of her life at the 2019 Oscars, even picking up one of the infamous awards herself for her turn in A Star Is Born alongside Bradley Cooper. Considering what a hot commodity she was at the time, it was only right that Gaga showed up wearing a rock big enough to sink the titanic. 

Lady Gaga’s Yellow Diamond - Vintage ©Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com Lady Gaga’s Yellow Diamond - Vintage ©Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com

The former Sony artist wore a stunning vintage yellow diamond necklace with a 128.54-carat showstopper of a gem. The incredible piece was reportedly worth $30 million and was previously worn by Audrey Hepburn to promote Breakfast At Tiffany’s in 1961. 

2. Anne Hathaway’s Star Diamond Necklace

Designer: Tiffany & Co
Event: 2011 Oscars
Worth: $10 million*

Anne Hathaway looked like a Golden Age Hollywood starlet when she co-hosted the Oscars with James Franco in 2011. The actress decided to pair her gorgeous red Valentino dress with a simple, elegant, and incredibly valuable Tiffany & Co necklace that truly stole the show. 

Anne Hathaway's Star Diamond Necklace - Tiffany & Co ©Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com Anne Hathaway's Star Diamond Necklace - Tiffany & Co ©Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

The Lucinda Star diamond piece was worth $10 million. If that’s not worth a statue, then what is? Amazingly, Hathaway had several costume changes throughout the night so didn’t keep the necklace on the entire time. One can only imagine that security around the Disney actress was more than tight in the evening. 

3. Beyonce’s Earrings

Designer: Lorraine Schwartz
Event: 2020 Golden Globes
Worth: $8 million*

Beyonce, or Queen Bey as she’s affectionately called by fans, isn’t exactly shy of a few million. In fact, the superstar singer has an estimated $334 million in the bank. That might explain why she felt more than comfortable buying a pair of diamond earrings from famed designer Lorraine Schwartz for $8 million. 

Beyonce's Earrings - Lorraine Schwartz @MJFINESSELOVER / Twitter.com Beyonce's Earrings - Lorraine Schwartz @MJFINESSELOVER / Twitter.com

Bey was spotted wearing the large 280-carat ear ornaments at the 2020 Golden Globes when she sat alongside husband Jay-Z. The sparkly droplets complimented her gold and black dress perfectly, making her look like the belle of the ball.

4. Jennifer Garner’s Dazzling Diamonds

Designer: Neil Lane
Event: 2013 Oscars
Worth: $2.5 million*

Everyone knows that putting together a look for a red carpet event isn’t the easiest thing to do, but that’s why so much time and care goes into preparations. Jennifer Garner enlisted the help of Neil Lane to finish off her Oscars look in 2013. Lane provided Gardner with an eye-catching vintage-inspired diamond necklace worth $2.5 million. 

Jennifer Garner's Dazzling Diamonds - Neil Lane ©Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com Jennifer Garner's Dazzling Diamonds - Neil Lane ©Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

The beautiful piece attracted a lot of attention as it was one of the most expensive items of jewelry worn by an A-lister that evening. Let’s hope that Jen returned the sparkler at the end of the night with no issues!

5. Angelina Jolie’s Emerald Earrings

Designer: Lorraine Schwartz
Event: 2009 Oscars
Worth: $2.5 million* 

When it comes to her fashion sense Angelina Jolie hasn’t always pleased the masses. The confident star has often opted for looks that are slightly edgier than most, such as the chin cuff she wore to the premiere of The Eternals in 2021. However, when she gets it right, it’s phenomenal. 

Angelina Jolie's Emerald Earrings - Lorraine Schwartz ©Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com Angelina Jolie's Emerald Earrings - Lorraine Schwartz ©Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

Jolie wore a head-turning $2.5-million-dollar pair of emerald droplet earrings at the Oscars in 2009. Designed by Lorraine Schwartz, the shimmering stones brought out the green in Angelina’s eyes and added something extra special to the Disney star’s outfit. 

6. Priyanka Chopra’s Diamond Necklace

Designer: Bvlgari
Event: 2020 Golden Globes
Worth: $1 million*

Bvlgari has been supplying the rich and famous with one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces for years. At one point, Elizabeth Taylor was one of their biggest customers. Taylor may not be buying diamonds anymore, but the brand can still be spotted on some of the brightest stars in the world, including Priyanka Chopra. 

Priyanka Chopra’s Diamond Necklace - Bvlgari @priyankachopra / Instagram.com Priyanka Chopra’s Diamond Necklace - Bvlgari @priyankachopra / Instagram.com

Chopra wore a stunning pink gown to the 2020 Golden Globes, matching it with a 56-carat diamond Bvlgari necklace for a look reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. It was reportedly worth $1 million dollars. 

7. Kate Winslet’s Yellow Diamond Necklace

Designer: Tiffany & Co
Event: 2010 Oscars
Worth: $2.5 million*

Diamonds are great, but sometimes they end up looking a little bit like you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. Kate Winslet won the style stakes when she wore this unique yellow Tiffany & Co piece to the Oscars in 2010. 

Kate Winslet's Yellow Diamond Necklace - Tiffany & Co ©Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com Kate Winslet's Yellow Diamond Necklace - Tiffany & Co ©Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com

The necklace was paired with matching diamond earrings which cost $750,000 alone. So, while the necklace was pushing $2.5 million, the overall total was considerably over $3 million for the entire look. Being famous isn’t cheap.

8. Sandra Bullock’s Bracelet

Designer: Lorraine Schwartz
Event: 2014 Oscars
Worth: $6.4 million*

Sandra Bullock has been living it up in Hollywood as one of the most successful actresses for decades now. With that being said, her red carpet looks never get old. In 2014 she wowed onlookers by wearing a form-fitting blue satin dress and over $8 million in diamonds. 

Sandra Bullock's Bracelet - Lorraine Schwartz ©Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com Sandra Bullock's Bracelet - Lorraine Schwartz ©Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

The bracelet she wore was by Lorraine Schwartz and came in at an estimated cost of $6.4 million. She paired the glittery accessory with earrings that were worth $1.8 million, making this one of Sandra’s most expensive looks yet.  

9. Nicole Kidman’s Cascading Necklace

Designer: L’Wren Scott
Event: 2008 Academy Awards
Worth: $7 million*

Rocking red carpets is just a regular weekend to Nicole Kidman these days. The Australian-born actress has been in dozens of them over the years, but it was the necklace she wore to the 2008 Oscars that really turned heads. Designed by L’Wren Scott, the piece consisted of over 7,500 diamonds beautifully entwined in a cascade effect. 

Nicole Kidman's Cascading Necklace - L’Wren Scott ©Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com Nicole Kidman's Cascading Necklace - L’Wren Scott ©Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com

Considering just how intricate the necklace was, it’s hardly surprising that it took over 6,000 to hand-make. Nicole looked radiant in the $7-million-dollar stunner – although it’s definitely a “wear once and never again” statement. 

10. Helen Mirren’s Necklace and Earrings

Designer: Harry Winston
Event: 2018 Academy Awards
Worth: $3.8 million*

Natural beauty Helen Mirren is a legend in Hollywood, so designers are often begging to dress her. In 2018 at the Oscars, Helen didn’t disappoint. She opted for a muted blue dress coupled with a necklace and earrings made by Harry Winston. 

Helen Mirren's Necklace and Earrings ©Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com Helen Mirren's Necklace and Earrings ©Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com

The diamond and sapphire set looked fit for a queen, totaling around $3.8 million. Helen has often talked about aging gracefully, but adding a few diamonds into the mix certainly doesn’t hurt or make matters worse. 

11. Amy Adams’ Emerald Jewels

Designer: Cartier
Event: 2011 Academy Awards
Worth: $1.3 million*

Redheaded beauty Amy Adams pushed the boat at the 2011 Oscars in a stunning blue sequined dress. The form-fitting gown was enough to turn heads, but Amy added some extra sparkle in the form of a diamond necklace and bracelet by Cartier. 

Amy Adam's Emerald Jewels - Cartier ©Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com Amy Adam's Emerald Jewels - Cartier ©Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

The shimmering pieces cost a pretty penny, with the entire collection coming in at around $1.3 million. That’s more than Adams got paid for her 2014 Sony movie American Hustle. It won’t be the last time you see the actress in priceless gems. 

12. Cate Blanchett’s Jewels

Designer: Chopard
Event: 2014 Academy Awards
Worth: $18.1 million*

There’s a reason why Peter Jackson chose Cate Blanchett to play the ethereal elf Galadriel in The Lord of The Rings and Hobbit trilogies. Cate has a grace about her that is hard to imitate, so designer Chopard really struck gold when she chose a pair of the company’s earrings to complete her look at the 2014 Oscars. 

Cate Blanchett’s Jewels - Chopard ©Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com Cate Blanchett’s Jewels - Chopard ©Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

It’s not exactly clear how much the earrings themselves were, but it was reported that the earrings as well as the earrings, a ring, and a specially-picked bracelet were worth more than $18 million. That certainly beats a $5 bracelet from Target on a Saturday night. 

13. Jennifer Lawrence’s Backward Necklace

Designer: Neil Lane
Event: 2014 Academy Awards
Worth: $2 million*

Jennifer Lawrence has been Hollywood’s darling since making it big with The Hunger Games and Winter’s Bone. The talented actress has proved time and again that she has what it takes to do comedy and drama. In 2014 she wore a breathtaking red gown to the Oscars complete with a backward necklace worth $2 million. 

Jennifer Lawrence’s Backward Necklace - Neil Lane ©Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com Jennifer Lawrence’s Backward Necklace - Neil Lane ©Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com

The beautiful chain was made by Neil Lane, who was presumably only too happy to lend the actress the priceless gems for the evening. Jennifer appeared on many best-dressed lists at that time – and continues to rock precious gems on red carpets.

14. Jessica Alba’s Diamond Necklace

Designer: Harry Winston
Event: 2013 Academy Awards
Worth: $5.8 million*

Jessica Alba has taken somewhat of a step away from the acting scene in recent years to focus on her family life and bringing her lifestyle business to fruition. That being said, Alba does like the occasional red carpet and wowed photographers when she turned up at the Oscars in 2013 wearing a peach-colored Oscar de la Renta gown. 

essica Alba's Diamond Necklace - Harry Winston ©Steve Granitz / Gettyimages.com essica Alba's Diamond Necklace - Harry Winston ©Steve Granitz / Gettyimages.com

To top it off, Jessica wore a beautiful necklace by designer Harry Winston. The breathtaking diamond piece was worth an estimated $5.8 million, but it perfectly complimented her delicate decolletage.