Style Royalty: The Best Jewels of the BAFTA Film Awards 2026

With the future king in attendance, the 79th Annual BAFTA Film Awards brought style and sparkle to London’s Royal Festival Hall on the evening of Sunday, February 22. Elegant diamond jewels dominated the red carpet, although a handful of celebrities dared to inject colour, notably supplied by Tiffany & Co. and hailing from its fabulous designer archives. Excitingly, after a period of being sidelined for drop pendant necklaces, the statement earring is back in the spotlight, but only when encrusted in diamonds, diamonds, and more diamonds! Let’s take a closer look at some of the best jewels at this fabulously British affair…

To really get a sense of what’s ‘trending’ at award shows, you need to look at the nominated guests. Even if they don’t walk away with the coveted awards, these individuals are guaranteed to be in the spotlight, which makes them a hot commodity for brands. When Hollywood star and Best Actress nominee Rose Byrne stepped onto the carpet wearing a pair of Plume de Paon pendant earrings by Boucheron set with rose-cut diamonds and round diamonds in white gold, we had an immediate sense that earrings were back on the styling agenda. Fortunately, our hunch proved correct; Best Supporting Actress Award winner, Wunmi Mosaku, looked sensational in a royal blue gown paired with Moussaieff diamond earrings; Jenna Coleman wowed in Messika sparklers from the Diamond Catcher High Jewellery collection; Kylie Jenner opted for 71.94 carats of diamonds courtesy of Moussaieff, and Catherine, Princess of Wales wore the Greville Chandelier earrings, created by Cartier in the early 20th century and bequeathed to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 1942. 

Clean, crisp sweeps of white diamonds were the most popular choice among the highest-profile attendees. Best Actress nominee Renate Reinsve wore the Quatre Radiant Edition necklace by Boucheron, set with round, baguette-cut and princess-cut diamonds on white gold, alongside the Vendôme Liseré solitaire ring set with a two-carat emerald-cut diamond. Chaumet also shone with actresses Kate Hudson and Erin Doherty, both choosing to wear necklaces from the Maison, including the Joséphine Valse Impériale necklace and the Twisted necklace, respectively. 

Striking necklaces were everywhere, continuing a trend that’s dominated the 2025-26 award season so far. Look to Sadie Sink in a Bulgari High Jewellery piece, set with a 3.01 carat oval-shaped diamond, 22 fancy step-cut diamonds totalling 1.22 carats, and round brilliant-cut diamonds for a further 4.64 carats. Actress Sarah Niles wore a necklace from the Rose Cut collection by David Morris; South Korean-American signer Ejae wore a Tasaki Classic diamond necklace, plus further Classic and Danger collection pieces with Akoya pearls and diamonds in white gold, and actress Odessa A’zion opted for creations by Swarovski, including the Mesmera choker.

One of our favourite looks was worn by Monica Bellucci, who stepped out in a Cartier High Jewellery necklace that’s thought to be a new addition to the En Équilibre collection, set with diamonds and a selection of bluish-green sapphires. Also, on the subject of Cartier, Gugu Mbatha-Raw wore an incredible pair of ear cuffs and a High Jewellery bracelet, the latter set with a 34.66 carat peridot and decorated in black lacquer and diamonds. We must also mention Emma Stone wore head-to-toe Louis Vuitton, including the Elan Vital bracelet and a pair of LV Diamonds studs.

There were three brands, however, that seemed to dominate the carpet: Tiffany & Co., De Beers and Chanel. Teyana Taylor was the queen of impressive jewels, pairing her aubergine-hued Burberry gown with a Tiffany & Co. Bird on a Rock brooch, set with a citrine of over 50 carats, diamonds, and a pink sapphire, as well as a pair of 14-carat diamond earrings, a ring with a spessartine of over eight carats, a ruby and diamond ring, and an archival bracelet with citrines and diamonds in gold and platinum, dated to the 1940s-50s. Carey Mulligan, Kathryn Hahn and Amiee Lou Wood also wore Tiffany & Co., showcasing pieces originally designed by Jean Schlumberger and Elsa Peretti. It is notable that Carey Mulligan also wore a palette of orange, including a pair of earrings with 13 carats of orange sapphires and a ring with a spessartine of over 9 carats… could this be a sign that a trending hue is emerging? 

Elsewhere, actress Chase Infiniti was dripping in De Beers London diamonds, especially pieces from the Arpeggia, Dewdrop, Enchanted Lotus and Classic collections. In total, she wore more than 50 carats, including the Arpeggia Five Line diamond earrings in 18k rose gold, two Arpeggia Five Line diamond bracelets, three further bracelets, and nine rings, all in combinations of 18k yellow, white and rose gold and platinum. Maggie Gyllenhaal also opted for the British brand, this time the Arpeggia Three Line diamond earrings with 9.09 carats of diamonds, the Classic Five Line diamond earrings and an Enchanted Lotus ring with 6.93 carats of diamonds, all in 18k white gold or platinum. 

De Beers also focused on its ‘Desert diamonds’ campaign by spotlighting the stars wearing champagne, honey, cognac, brown and whiskey shaded natural gems, such as Gillian Anderson and Nathalie Emmanuel in jewels by Ara Vartanian and KPop Demon Hunters star Audrey Nuna in ear climbers by Ananya. 

Lastly, how can we forget Chanel, which had some of the strongest looks of the night. Best Actress Award winner Jessie Buckley wowed in a custom crushed blue velvet gown, topped with shoulder adornments, and accessorised with the Attirante earrings from the Les Talismans de Chanel High Jewellery collection and the Golden Sillage ring from the High Jewellery N°5 collection, set with diamonds, yellow sapphires, spessartite garnets (note that same trending gemstone again!), and a 5.01 carat emerald-cut diamond. Gracie Abrams and Maya Rudolph also wore Chanel Haute Joaillerie, but it was Tilda Swinton who really shone in the Maison’s Pre-Fall 2026 suiting, complete with a stunning lapel brooch and a Reach for the Stars High Jewellery collection ring, set with a 10.20 carat brilliant-cut diamond. 

Finally, let’s turn our collective attention to the gentlemen on the BAFTAs red carpet this year. Stormzy looked suave in an Elsa Peretti Amapola brooch with red silk in 18k gold, alongside a Tiffany Lock bangle; Joe Alwyn wore a Chaumet Foliage brooch from the 1971 heritage collection, and Noah Jupe looked elevated in a Toi et Moi ring, an Inner Fire necklace and an Inner Fire earring, all by Bucherer Fine Jewellery. However, none could quite beat the pizzazz of host Alan Cumming, who wore the Royal Supernova brooch by Atlas Carré, set with an amethyst and asymmetric laboratory-grown diamonds in grey gold, or the sophistication of Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page, who opted for a dragonfly brooch by Hirsh London with a kite-shaped natural pink diamond and brilliant-cut natural pink diamonds set en tremblant in 18k rose gold. 

With the Academy Awards just three weeks away, we’re taking bets that it’s going to be a diamond-centric affair, with pops of green sapphires, peridots, and orange gemstones like Mandarin garnets and spessartines. If the 2026 BAFTAs are a foreshadowing of what’s to come, there may be some high jewellery surprises on the horizon.