The Jewelry Trends To Look Out For On The Oscars Red Carpet
With the 2026 Oscars just a few weeks away, I’ve been catching up on a few last Best Picture nominees (just need to watch F1, One Battle After Another, and Train Dreams now) so that I can cement my predictions for who will win, as well as what to expect on the red carpet, of course! I have some couture dresses on my wish list, but when it comes to jewelry trends, I brought in an expert to lend some additional predictions: Nishit Mehta, the founder of luxury jewelry brand La Joya and a fifth-generation diamond expert.
“For the 2026 Oscars,” shared Mehta, “We at La Joya are seeing a shift away from jewelry stacks to a singular statement piece. Celebrities are moving toward jewelry pieces that have an architectural story rather than pieces that are massive and of a high carat.”
Below, Mehta shared the top 5 jewelry trends to look out for on the Oscars red carpet, as well as tips on how anyone can adopt these trends when it comes to personal jewelry styling.
1. The "East-West" Set Jewelry Trend
Image courtesy of La Joya
“Elongated cuts like ovals and emerald cut diamonds set horizontally rather than vertically are currently all the rage. Consumers want something unique, and vertically set solitaire rings and necklaces seem common and hence dated. Horizontal or 'East-West' set solitaire diamonds are subtle, edgy pivot that makes a classic stone look entirely modern and architectural. It’s the 'quiet rebel' look of 2026.”
2. Sculptural Gold Replaces The Dainty Chain
Image courtesy of La Joya
“Dainty jewelry is out. Now it is all about substance and big look. We think that the red carpet will be full of metal-heavy settings, like thick, shiny yellow gold bezels and ‘Cigar Band’ silhouettes. Jewelry is no longer just fashionable to wear; it is also sculpture you can wear. It feels more like ‘Old Money’ and stable than the thin, fragile settings of the past.”
3. The “Power Pinky” and Right-Hand Rings
Image courtesy of La Joya
“Right-hand rings are making a massive comeback thanks to celebrities like Taylor Swift and Meghan Markle. Specifically, large 5-carat+ pear and marquise shapes worn on the pinky or right ring finger are the new rage. These right-hand rings signal independence and self-success, separating the 'romance' of the ring worn on the left hand from the 'status' of the one on the right hand.”
4. The Return of the Brooch (for Everyone)
“Another major trend making a comeback is the brooch. We expect to see a lot of male stars pinning massive diamond clusters to their lapels, and female stars using them as hair ornaments or waist accents on draped gowns. It’s the ultimate way to show off a 20-carat lab-grown stone in a non-traditional way.”
5. “Stealth Wealth” Diamonds
Image courtesy of La Joya
“Cut and light performance are more important to people than just having a big diamond. High-income people are looking for stones that appear subtle in person but "pop" in the flashbulbs. This is where lab-grown technology shines, enabling ‘perfect’ D-color, flawless stones without the wearer being worried about it being stolen or lost. This ‘Invisible Luxury’ is another popular trend.”
What jewelry trend are you loving most right now, and what are you excited to see come Oscars Sunday?