Chopard’s 43.32‑carat diamond necklace and a parade of archival jewels set the tone at the 31st Critics’ Choice Awards, signalling sustained demand — and rising secondary value — for high‑carat natural diamonds among collectors and luxury retailers.
- Price: Not disclosed (Haute Joaillerie)
- Carat weight: 43.32 ct (necklace); 3.77 ct (Precious Lace earrings); other pieces 4.13–126 ct
- Origin: Chopard, Boucheron, Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Chaumet, Fred Leighton
- Date: Critics’ Choice Awards, Los Angeles, 4 January 2026
Standout pieces and tactile details
Kate Hudson wore the most arresting piece of the evening: a Chopard haute joaillerie necklace in 18K white gold and platinum, set with 43.32 carats of white diamonds. The piece reads with a vitreous luster and a satin‑smooth platinum mount that gives the necklace a substantial heft on the neckline. Hudson’s look was completed by a nearly 5‑carat black‑diamond ring and Chopard’s Precious Lace earrings (3.77 ct), each element calibrated to contrast texture and tone rather than simply amplify brightness.
Boucheron provided sculptural punctuation across the carpet. Keri Russell’s New Sarpech brooch—white gold swirls with a 6.26‑carat emerald and pavé diamonds—demonstrated how brooches continue to act as architectural accents. Jessie Buckley’s Lavalliere Diamants pendant and matching 4.13‑carat emerald‑cut diamond ring showed lacquered black details and crisp step facets that read as graphic as they do precious.
Chopard also framed Danielle Brooks in a choker of seven sapphires (65.4 ct total) and over 126 carats of white diamonds, an example of theatre‑scale gemstone weight that translates into headline value for auction catalogues and private sales. Sarah Snook’s layered Chopard pieces—over 45 carats of diamonds in a lace‑like necklace and nearly 34 carats of emeralds in statement earrings—underscore the current appetite for matched suites with tactile presence.
Vintage and archival pieces threaded the event: Ego Nwodim’s 1920s Old European‑cut diamond pendants and a 1930s 5.5‑carat old mine‑cut diamond ring (Fred Leighton) displayed the warm brilliance and platey facets collectors prize; Amanda Seyfried selected mid‑century Tiffany archival pieces in platinum and diamonds, reflecting the premium placed on provenance.
The context: 2025–26 trends shaping demand
The Critics’ Choice red carpet illustrated three converging trends for 2025 and into 2026. First, sustainability and provenance have migrated from marketing line item to purchase driver: archival and estate pieces are prized for documented history and reduced environmental footprint. Second, despite growth in the lab‑grown diamond category, high‑carat natural stones remain the marquee currency for public moments and retain stronger resale premiums. Third, sculptural jewellery—brooches, architectural ear clips and bold ring clusters—continues to outpace dainty minimalism in press visibility, pushing retailers to stock pieces with graphic profiles and substantial heft.
Why this matters to U.S. retailers and investors
For U.S. retailers the lesson is tactical: curate inventory that reads well on camera and in editorial spreads. Pieces with documented provenance, archival stamps or distinctive sculptural forms command higher margins and drive showroom traffic. From an investment perspective, the market signal is clear—auction and secondary markets are rewarding large, natural stones and well‑preserved estate jewels. That dynamic compresses supply for client‑ready, high‑carat natural diamonds and increases the value of consignment sourcing, certified appraisals and white‑glove logistics.
Buyers and investors should note several practical implications: tighten authentication protocols, emphasize insurance and financing options for headline lots, and consider partnerships with auction houses to capture the premium secondary market. At the same time, offer lab‑grown lines to meet entry‑level demand while positioning natural high‑carat inventory as collectible and finite.
Takeaway
Diamonds—particularly large, natural stones presented by legacy maisons—dominated the Critics’ Choice Awards with a tactile clarity that matters beyond the red carpet. For retailers and investors, the evening reinforced that provenance, sculptural form and carat weight remain primary drivers of both editorial impact and long‑term value.
See our review of the 2025 Governor’s Awards
Image Referance: https://somethingaboutrocks.com/article/diamonds-ruled-the-red-carpet-at-the-critics-choice-awards/