Awards shows have always been about more than the trophies. Yes, the statuettes gleam and the speeches inspire, but when the stars step onto the red carpet, another kind of storytelling begins—one told in diamonds, emeralds, and pearls. The 2025 Emmy Awards, held in Los Angeles on September 14, reminded us that jewelry isn’t just decoration. It’s a language of power, fantasy, and self-expression.
This year’s ceremony delivered its fair share of history-making wins. Succession once again tightened its grip on drama, Quinta Brunson charmed with her comedy brilliance, and Noah Wyle finally walked away with a golden statuette of his own. But between the applause and the acceptance speeches, my eyes kept drifting back to the sparkle, the shimmer, the bold experiments with color and shape. Jewelry, in many ways, was the unsung star of the night. Here are my favorite jewelry looks from the 2025 Emmy Awards.
Here are the best jewelry looks seen at the 2025 Emmy Awards
Sydney Sweeney: Diamonds That Could Stop Traffic
Sydney Sweeney has always known how to work a red carpet, but her appearance at the Emmys felt like a coronation of sorts. Clad in a crimson Oscar de la Renta gown, she brought old-Hollywood glamour roaring into 2025. But it was the jewelry that made her look unforgettable: a Lorraine Schwartz diamond ensemble weighing in at a staggering 175 carats.
The pièce de résistance was a 120-carat necklace anchored by a 40-carat marquise-cut diamond drop—one of those stones so large it feels like it should come with its own security guard. Add to that 30-carat earrings and 25 carats worth of rings, and you have a vision of diamond maximalism at its most unapologetic.
It wasn’t just about scale, though. Schwartz’s designs have a way of making even the most extravagant stones feel wearable, almost natural, as if Sweeney were born to sparkle this brightly. Watching her on the carpet, I thought about how jewelry at this level doesn’t just adorn. It asserts. It tells the world, I am here, and I cannot be ignored.
Jenna Ortega: When Jewelry Becomes Clothing
While Sweeney dazzled with classic glamour, Jenna Ortega reminded us that jewelry can rewrite the rules entirely. Forget diamond studs or a statement necklace. Her Givenchy top was made entirely of oversized gemstones and pearls, forming a net-like lattice across her torso. It was half garment, half sculpture, and fully breathtaking.
The stones themselves—deep burgundy, soft sage, warm amber—glimmered against Ortega’s skin like a mosaic unearthed from some fantastical past civilization. Paired with a sleek black skirt and understated diamond accents, the look struck that elusive balance between daring and chic.
This was jewelry as architecture, jewelry as rebellion. In a sea of gowns, Ortega’s look asked a question I’ve been mulling over all season: when the lines between fashion and jewelry blur, which one really leads? At the Emmys, the answer seemed clear—jewelry had seized the narrative.
Lisa of BLACKPINK: A Pop Star in Serpents
Global pop phenomenon Lisa brought her own brand of storytelling to the red carpet, draped in a blush-pink gown that flowed like spun sugar. But the gown was only half the story. Around her neck coiled one of Bulgari’s most iconic motifs: the Serpenti.
Her version sparkled with diamonds, sapphires, orange garnets, and a central garnet weighing three carats. The necklace shimmered with a rainbow’s worth of colors, a clever nod to her ability to shape-shift between pop idol, fashion muse, and rising Hollywood star. The serpent, an ancient symbol of wisdom and renewal, felt almost like a metaphor for Lisa herself.
What struck me most, though, was how she wore it. Some jewelry risks overshadowing its wearer. Lisa, however, looked as if the Serpenti had chosen her, curling around her like a secret whispered to the red carpet.
Parker Posey: Emeralds for the Eccentric Darling
Then there was Parker Posey, ever the indie queen, proving that age and eccentricity can be the greatest accessories of all. She arrived in a lavender lace Valentino gown—a dress that could have floated straight out of a dream—and anchored it with a necklace from Sabyasachi, featuring a 45-carat pear-shaped emerald, plus 50 carats of aquamarine and diamonds.
The deep green stone glowed against her gown’s pastel hues, a study in contrast that only Posey could pull off with such panache. Aquamarine and diamond earrings added a final glimmer, like punctuation at the end of a beautifully odd sentence.
Posey has always leaned into the unexpected, and her Emmys look was no exception. The emerald, heavy with history and gravitas, felt delightfully subversive against her whimsical lace. In her hands—or rather, around her neck—jewelry became less about opulence and more about play.
The Top Jewelry Trends Spotted At The 2025 Emmy Awards
Spotlighting these four women is just the beginning. Together, they told us something about where jewelry is heading in 2025.
- Diamonds as Power Statements: Sydney Sweeney’s look reaffirmed what we already suspected—diamonds are still the undisputed monarchs of the red carpet. But this wasn’t delicate sparkle. It was bold, unapologetic, almost confrontational.
- Jewelry as Clothing: Jenna Ortega’s gemstone top pushed boundaries and hinted at a future where jewelry and fashion are indistinguishable. The rise of sculptural, body-covering jewelry is one of the most exciting evolutions I’ve seen in years.
- Color is Queen: From Lisa’s rainbow Serpenti to Parker Posey’s emeralds, color ruled the night. It felt like a rebellion against minimalism, a reminder that jewelry can be joyful and loud.
- Vintage Reverie: Alongside these daring choices, there was a quiet undercurrent of nostalgia. Earrings and brooches inspired by mid-century designs cropped up throughout the night, suggesting that Hollywood still loves to time-travel through its jewels.
Men Who Shined Too
It wasn’t just the women who brought the sparkle. Men are increasingly embracing jewelry not as an accessory but as an extension of their personalities.
The ever-stylish Colman Domingo accented his sleek pastel-hued suit with Boucheron jewels—a subtle nod to old-school elegance. Tyler James Williams added color to his black Prada suit with jewels and a watch by Tiffany & Co., including a blue sapphire Jean Schlumberger Bird on the Rock brooch.
For me, these choices spoke volumes. The days of men confining themselves to cufflinks and watches are long gone. The new guard isn’t afraid to sparkle, and they’re making jewelry central to their red carpet armor.
Beyond the Red Carpet
The Emmys may be a night of celebration, but they’re also a mirror reflecting cultural shifts. Jewelry’s prominence this year felt like more than just adornment. In a world still grappling with economic uncertainty and cultural upheaval, these baubles—massive diamonds, serpentine necklaces, emeralds that catch the light—become talismans. They’re a way of saying: We will still shine, no matter what.
And there was something refreshing about seeing that optimism not just in gowns, but in the details that might otherwise be overlooked. After all, jewelry is both deeply personal and gloriously public. It rests against your skin even as it tells the world who you are.
Final Reflections
When I think back on the 2025 Emmys, I’ll remember the winners and the speeches, yes. But what will linger longest are the jewels: Sydney’s unapologetic diamonds, Jenna’s gemstone net, Lisa’s coiling serpent, Parker’s playful emerald. Each was more than just beautiful; each was a story, a declaration, a piece of art.
The night reminded me of why I fell in love with jewelry in the first place. Because it isn’t static. It isn’t just about carats or brands. It’s about the way a single stone, worn on the right night, can become immortalized. Long after we’ve forgotten which series took home the most awards, we’ll still remember the shimmer that made us pause.
And perhaps that’s the true magic of the Emmys or of jewelry itself. Trophies may gather dust, but diamonds, emeralds, and pearls? They sparkle forever.
Featured image: Getty Images
Amanda Akalonu is dedicated to weaving together the worlds of jewelry, watches, and objects through a lens of literary storytelling.
