Oscar Jewelry: Business as Usual

As in most years, diamonds were the "must-do" on the red carpet at this year's Academy Awards. Unfortunately, the proliferation of vintage chandelier earrings and large cocktail rings worn at the 74th annual ceremony left little room for the distinctive.

Without a doubt, the stars opted for subtle glamour that took the shape of neutral makeup and loose, wavy hair. And their jewelry rarely left the safety of decadent colorless diamonds from the biggest names: Fred Leighton, Harry Winston and Martin Katz.

The absolute ubiquity of vintage-inspired diamond chandelier earrings was the most obvious trend of the evening. Reese Witherspoon sported a 19th-century pair from Fred Leighton, Renée Zellweger a $500,000 pair by Harry Winston and Uma Thurman a briolette pair also by Leighton.

Some A-listers did spice up their jewelry with colored diamonds, an expected trend. Best Actress winner Halle Berry wore the world's largest fancy vivid-orange diamond ring: "the pumpkin" by Harry Winston. Host Whoopi Goldberg chose an 80-carat fancy yellow diamond pendant and bracelet, also by Winston, and presenter Ali McGraw wore fancy white and black diamond earrings from Fred Leighton.

The most unusual necklace of the night graced Best Actress nominee Nicole Kidman (pictured on cover). Dressed in a pale chiffon Chanel dress, Kidman accessorized with a 241-carat rough diamond necklace specially designed for her by Bulgari.

Other stars also managed to think outside the box in terms of jewelry.

Joan Rivers, host of the E! network's Oscar preshow, paired a dazzling Fred Leighton earring and bracelet combination with a ring from her own Home Shopping Network collection. Cameron Diaz, unique as usual in an Ungaro Couture flowered gown, added to her diamonds with a large, chunky turquoise bracelet, while Jennifer Lopez stayed simple in a choker dotted with pearls to match her pale pink Versace gown.

The award for most expensive ensemble goes undoubtedly to Laura Harring, co-star of "Mulholland Drive." In addition to wearing a 77-carat diamond pendant necklace worth $27 million, she was also outfitted with Stuart Weitzman's $1 million platinum sandals studded with 464 Kwiat diamonds.

One attendee with hypnotic jewels was Ananda Lewis, an ABC preshow co-host. Her diamond-encrusted starfish bracelet by New York designer Mimi So was spinnable, showing off its 100 carats of diamonds set in 18-karat white gold. Lewis also wore a matching ring and earrings from So's Sesi collection.

For the younger stars at the Kodak Theater, older jewelry meant better. Kirsten Dunst chose two 19th-century diamond bracelets and a 19th-century thistle broach for her hair by Fred Leighton. Best Supporting Actress winner Jennifer Connelly also chose a diamond bracelet by Leighton, hers from the 1920s. Gwyneth Paltrow, a former Best Actress honoree, went for 19th-century diamond pendant earrings from Neil Lane.

In clothing, colors tended toward the very dark or very light. Black was the color of choice, worn by Julia Roberts, Glenn Close and Reese Witherspoon.