Diamonds Are the Real "Stars" of the Award Show Circuit

Diamonds have always been an actress' best friend -- particularly at major award shows such as the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, the Emmys, the Tonys, the Grammys and other luminary events.

In addition to giving the stars some extra sparkle, the right jewelry can put them over the top in terms of finishing off their formal wear with the perfect accessory. Jewelry can also give a celeb a retro, "old school" look that hearkens back to the glitz and glamour of the Hollywood of old.

The Hollywood crowd has always sported some truly eye-popping gems at the awards shows -- baubles that make the rest of us just gasp with wonder (and perhaps even envy for some of us!)

This year's Golden Globes were no exception. Queen Latifah had the distinction of wearing what was generally considered the most spectacular necklace of the evening: a 2,600 stone, pave-set piece in white gold from the De Beers Rainfall Collection. (She also wore a matching bracelet).

Ever since famed "jeweler to the stars" Harry Winston first loaned diamonds to Oscar nominee Jennifer Jones in 1944 to wear to the Academy Awards (she won), Winston and other prominent jewelers have been outfitting the Hollywood crowd with the finest diamonds and jewelry. Just look at what some of the top stars wore to the Oscar ceremony in 2002:

Best Actress winner Halle Berry wore the Pumpkin diamond ring, the world's largest fancy vivid orange diamond valued at just over $3 million.
Best Actress nominee Renee Zellweger sported a pair of cascading waterfall diamond chandelier earrings valued at nearly $500,000.
Jennifer Lopez wore a 27-carat marquise cut diamond ring set in platinum and valued at $1.7 million. She also displayed a 25-carat fancy intense pink diamond ring valued at $3.5 million.
Glenn Close wore a 26-carat diamond drop necklace, four-stone diamond drop earrings and a 12-carat square emerald cut diamond ring, all courtesy of Harry Winston. The diamond suite was valued at more than $2 million.

While 2002 signaled a return to the glitz and glamour that was suppressed in 2001 following the tragedy of Sept. 11, There have been many notable "jewelry sightings" at awards shows in recent years. Of course, the "best and biggest" pieces are reserved for Hollywood's most prestigious awards show, the Academy Awards. Here are some of the more memorable pieces sported by celebrities over the years:

At the 1998 Oscars, Gloria Stuart wore a breathtaking 15-carat blue diamond necklace patterned after the famous one she wore in "Titanic." The necklace, from Harry Winston, was valued at $20 million.
1997 Oscar host Whoopi Goldberg was literally dripping in diamonds at the event, with a 107.18 carat white diamond ring valued at a cool $15 million; a marquise diamond bracelet valued at $1 million; a pair of diamond chandelier earrings valued at $750,000; and assorted other pieces.
Also at the 1997 Academy Awards, pre-show host and presenter Geena Davis was decked out with a platinum 25-carat diamond ring worth $2.6 million, and platinum 20-carat diamond bar earrings that came to be known as the "Geena Davis Earrings" because they were custom designed for her two days before the Oscars.
Other noted baubles at the 1997 Oscars included a platinum 100-carat diamond necklace worn by Jennifer Lopez that was valued at $1 million; a sapphire and diamond necklace worn by Martha Dixon (mother of James Woods) consisting of 53 carats of sapphire and 75 carats of diamonds on platinum, worth $1.5 million; a diamond choker with matching bracelet and earrings worn by Faith Astrada, worth $1.4 million; and a 104-carat round and baguette diamond necklace on platinum worn by Mary Hart worth $700,000.
Some of the more memorable jewelry at the 1996 Oscar ceremony included a 120-carat cluster necklace worth $2.2 million worn by host Whoopi Goldberg; a 273-carat diamond necklace worth $6.5 million worn by Angela Bassett; a 110-carat princess diamond necklace worth $1.25 million worn by Oscar winner Mira Sorvino; a diamond "dog collar" choker worth $1.7 million worn by Naomi Campbell; and a 70-carat diamond necklace worth $900,000 worn by Daisy Fuentes.
Breathtaking diamond ensembles were the "stars of the show" at the 1995 Academy Awards. Some of the most memorable looks included emerald cut diamond and platinum earrings with matching bracelet worth $3 million worn by Claudia Schiffer; multiple diamond bracelets and a floral platinum and diamond choker with matching earclips valued at more than $1.3 million worn by Jennifer Tilly; two diamond and platinum bracelets with diamond cluster earrings worth $1 million worn by Vendela; and an oval diamond necklace of over 90 carats worth more than $1 million worn by Kate Capshaw.