Harry Winston became the “Jeweler to the Stars” in 1944 when he became the first jeweler to loan diamonds to an actress to wear on the red carpet.
Best Actress Jennifer Jones created a sensation and heightened the level of Hollywood glamour when she attended the Academy Awards in Harry Winston diamonds. This became a watershed moment for Harry Winston and the awards show, transforming it from a comparatively modest celebrity fete into the lavish and dazzling affair it is today.
Harry Winston remains the go-to choice for celebrities to borrow the brilliant jewels they wear to awards shows. Here are TrueFacet’s 10 favorite red carpet looks from Harry Winston.
10. Rosario Dawson — 2015
In February 2015, actress Rosario Dawson attended the amfAR New York Gala, sponsored by Harry Winston. As one of the night’s honorees, Dawson wore a stunning pair of Harry Winston Sunflower Cascading Diamond Earrings that would later be auctioned by Harry Winston to benefit amfAR’s HIV/AIDS cure research. Dawson’s diamond chandelier earrings were set in platinum and totaled 29.59 carats. She also wore an 18.65 carat radiant-cut yellow diamond ring set in yellow gold and platinum.
9. Jennifer Lopez — 1999
Jennifer Lopez wore the Winston Cluster by Harry Winston, Diamond Wreath Necklace to the 1999 Oscars where she presented the award for Best Original Song. The brilliant necklace features a dazzling array of pear-, marquise- and round-cut diamonds, totally a jaw-dropping 100 carats. The diamond cluster earrings weighed in at an impressive 10 carats. Lopez paired her stunning jewels with a Badgley Mischka gown.
8. Coco Rocha — 2015
Supermodel Coco Rocha attended the 2015 amfAR New York Gala, sponsored by Harry Winston. The model, who was well into her third trimester at the time of the fundraising event, wore a deep red mermaid-style dress, designed by Zac Posen. To accessorize her elegant gown, Rocha wore a 62-carat cluster diamond necklace and 6.11-carat cluster diamond earrings.
7. Amal Clooney — 2015
Amal Clooney attended the Golden Globes in 2015 with her husband George Clooney. The awards show was the recently wed couple’s first Hollywood red carpet event. Amal wore a one-shoulder Dior Haute Couture dress—complete with a flowing cape—and a pair of white elbow-length gloves she had sewn herself. To accentuate her gown’s unique neckline, Amal wore a pair gorgeous 29.62-carat cascading drop earrings from Harry Winston’s Deel Collection.
6. Madonna — 1991
Madonna attended and performed at the 1991 Oscars. On the red carpet, Madonna channeled Marilyn Monroe with her platinum hairdo, a slinky Bob Mackie gown, white elbow-length gloves, and a white fur stole. And in true Monroe fashion, Madonna wore piles and piles of Harry Winston diamond jewelry, an estimated $20 million worth of diamonds.
During her performance of her nominated song “Sooner or Later” from the Dick Tracey soundtrack, Madonna removed and dramatically flung one of her priceless earrings into the crowd. To the immense relief of the entire Harry Winston staff, she wore replicas for the number.
5. Helen Mirren — 2016
Nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Trumbo, Dame Helen Mirren attended the 2017 Golden Globes in an elegant Badgley Mischka gown with a plunging neckline. Mirren wore three pieces from Harry Winston: an 83.72-carat Secret Cluster diamond necklace, 19.58-carat Secret Cluster diamond bracelet and 12-carat cluster diamond earrings. Mirren’s Harry Winston jewelry was worth an estimated $1 million.
4. Julie Andrews — 2001
At the 2001 Oscars, Julie Andrews wore the same jewelry she wore in her role as Queen Dowager Clarisse Renaldi in the final scene of The Princess Diaries. The Harry Winston four-row bib diamond necklace and diamond drop cluster earrings were worth half a million dollars.
3. Natalie Portman — 2012
Actress Natalie Portman wore a red and black polka dot-covered vintage Christian Dior dress to the 2012 Oscars. She completed her look with a Harry Winston v-shaped diamond cluster necklace and a pair of 5.76-carat oval-shaped diamond drop earrings.
2. Jessica Alba — 2013
Actress Jessica Alba attended the 2013 Golden Globes in show-stopping Oscar de la Renta trumpet gown in a playful melon hue. But her remarkable dress actually paled in comparison to her extravagant Harry Winston jewelry. Alba wore a Mrs. Winston by Harry Winston diamond necklace worth an incredible $5.8 million. The necklace, which totaled an awe-inspiring 187.5-carats, included 407 baguette-, round brilliant-, pear- and marquise-shaped diamonds. She also wore a pair of Harry Winston diamond stud earrings, set in platinum, and a Harry Winston pear-shaped diamond cluster ring.
1. Elizabeth Taylor — 1970
Elizabeth Taylor was a prolific admirer of fine jewelry so it should be no surprise that she tops our list of the 10 Best Harry Winston Red Carpet Moments. While her vast private collection included a variety of Harry Winston jewels, the most iconic and best-known of them is the Taylor-Burton Diamond. A gift from husband actor Richard Burton who paid a whopping $1.1 million for it, the famous diamond was cut by Harry Winston and weighed in at a staggering 69.42 carats. Taylor wore the diamond to the 1970 Oscars with a down-to-there powder blue dress by Edith Head.
To learn more about this lavish gift from Richard Burton to Elizabeth Taylor, read our post “5 of History’s Most Expensive Jewelry Gifts” here.
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