Oscar Jewelry Styles for the 2016 Academy Awards

A beautiful Leeza Braun diamond necklace from the StyleLab Suite during pre-Academy Awards Week. This necklace reminds me of Helen Mirren.

In the build up to the Academy Awards, select celebrities and Hollywood wardrobe stylists are invited to visit the StyleLab Jewelry Suite at a top secret location in Beverly Hills, for an exclusive appointment to borrow jewelry from Shaftel Diamond Co. , Leeza Braun or colored gems from DAVANI jewelyfor the Academy Awards.  I had the pleasure of dropping by the suite of Friday to see over 1 million dollars in  jewelry and see stylist Michael O’Connor discuss this season’s Oscar style trends.   I witnessed Mr. O’Connor doing everything from helping celebrities pick out a special piece of jewelry to advising them on where to buy a special clutch for the evening (Saks Fifth Avenue Beverly Hills.)   This year’s Oscar’s jewelry suite displayed gorgeous statement necklaces, distinctive vintage style pieces, and colorful ruby and sapphire bracelets.   Here’s our inside look at the celebrity styles.

My personal favorite at the Oscars Stylelab Jewelry suite : a vintage styled bracelet.

Here’s a look at who stopped by the suite and the jewelry that caught their fancy.  Oscar nominees from films including “The Revenant,” “Spotlight”, “Day One,” “Room,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Straight Outta Compton,” “Bridge of Spies,” “Anomalisa,” “Stutterer,” and other top stars along with wardrobe stylists got a coveted appointment to select jewelry from Shaftel Diamond Co. for the Academy Awards and related parties.

Celebrities with their jewelry picks at the Stylelab suite.

Here’s a look at some of the designs favored by stars:

Katrina Bowden (“30 Rock”) and Alanna Ubach (“Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce”) looked chic in a pair of cluster style earrings, featuring 10-carats of blue sapphire and over 8-carats of round diamonds, set in 18k white gold. This spectacular design is priced at $100,000.

Carlease Burke (“Crowded”) and Nadine Crocker (“Cabin Fever”) were enamored by a pair of statement earrings that include 16-carats of natural fancy vivid yellow and colorless diamonds. This design is set in 18k white and yellow gold, and priced at $50,000.

Marisol Nichols (“Teen Wolf”) was captivated by a platinum ring set with a 25-carat Burmese ruby and over 3-carats of fine diamonds, priced at$200,000.

Carly Steel (“Entertainment Tonight”) gravitated towards a platinum ring with a rare 7-carat yellow diamond center, and two trillion cut diamonds, priced at $165,000.

Style expert Michael O’Connor who worked with the celebrities to coordinate their red carpet looks had these recommendations:

Opals: ” the great thing about Opals is no matter what you mix them with they are going to pick up the color of the clothing you are mixing them with.”  At the StyleLab site Mr. O’Connor showed off a large opal on a pendant surrounded by diamonds.

A diamond statement necklace with a bow and fringe by DAVANI, similar to a piece Sally Field wore at the Oscars several years ago.

Statement Necklaces: ” You see tons of ladies on the red carpet with statement necklaces, like Helen Mirren, notes Mr.O’Connor ” We have here a DAVANI bow necklace with diamond fringe (pictured above)–we could see this on a major actress.”

I can’t wait to watch the 2016 Oscars red carpet to see the jewelry at the Academy Awards and the after parties.