Golden (or Diamond or Gemstone or Pearl) Globes

No longer quite the stepchild of the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes remain, nonetheless, not as serious a fashion moment as the Oscars. For celebrities, that means less pressure for perfection and more opportunity to try their hand, neck, or wrist at something different. Jennifer Garner, for example, chose seed pearls over diamonds, and Cate Blanchett went for an Eastern-inspired fringe gemstone necklace to match her hippie-ish multicolor print gown.

This year, stars and starlets borrowed more jewelry from more companies than ever before, but the likes of Harry Winston and Fred Leighton remained favorites. And despite the range of gems seen, diamonds remained first choice among the rich and famous, with colored diamonds—a trend that has been hot on the red carpet for several years—celebrating a strong presence. Halle Berry, for example, was much photographed in a stunning suite of blue diamonds, while Queen Latifah chose an asymmetrical diamond fashion suite by De Beers.

According to the Diamond Information Center, fancy was in this year. Fancy colors, fancy shapes, and large pendants were the three hottest trends. Keep in mind that, in past years, jewelers have reported increased sales of jewelry mimicking what was seen on the red carpet.

As for fashion, celebrities—with a few eyesore exceptions—chose either traditionally elegant body-hugging gowns, like the Yves Saint Laurent creation worn by Nicole Kidman, or the more of-the-moment flowing layers of transparent fabrics and feminine lace.