Ahead of the Met Gala, Explore Nicole Kidman’s Fabulous Taste in Diamond Jewelry
In exciting news, Nicole Kidman is set to co-chair the 2026 Met Gala alongside Beyoncé, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour. In honor of what will be her seventh time in attendance at fashion’s biggest night, take a look back on the most stunning diamond jewelry the A-list actress has worn throughout the years.
Nicole Kidman wore Bulgari diamond jewelry at the “Dogville” Photocall at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. (Getty Images)
Hailed as a fashion icon since the early days of her career, Nicole Kidman’s style impact goes far beyond her clothes. A bona fide jewelry aficionado, the Australian actress boasts a wide array of diamond jewels, from Mughal-inspired earrings and polki diamonds to 19th-century vintage creations from Fred Leighton and contemporary designs from hot new jewelers like Ana Khouri.
The Academy Award-winning actress wore one of the most expensive and extravagant jewels to ever grace the Oscars red carpet in 2008, thanks to the late, great L’Wren Scott – Kidman’s longtime stylist who created a bespoke diamond waterfall necklace for her. Kidman also wore one of the most expensive jewels ever created for a motion picture in Moulin Rouge, thanks to fellow Aussie Stefano Canturi’s diamond Satine necklace.
Meet the Experts
Beverly Hills jewelry designer Martin Katz has been praised for his artistry for over three decades. He provided Nicole Kidman with the Indian Mughal chandelier earrings for the 1997 Oscars, which is now known as one of the most iconic jewelry moments in the history of the Academy Awards.
Stefano Canturi is an acclaimed Australian jeweler and designer renowned for his bold, architectural settings and modern heirloom creations. Responsible for one of the most expensive jewels ever created for a film, he created the Satine necklace Nicole Kidman wore in Moulin Rouge.
Artist and jeweler Ana Khouri officially opened her New York salon in 2013. She studied Fine Arts, specializing in sculpture, and began working on jewelry projects in 2002. Khouri’s custom High Jewelry is shown exclusively at her salon in New York. Her jewelry is made exclusively with 18K Fairmined Gold, platinum, and ethically and responsibly sourced gemstones.
For Kidman, it’s not about accessorizing—her jewelry makes the outfit. From brooches worn on her sleeves to pieces styled on the back of her dresses, vintage diamond hairpieces, and transformable tiaras worn as chokers, not only does Kidman wear inventive jewelry, but she wears her jewelry inventively.
With the 2026 Met Gala taking place on the first Monday of May, a fresh set of co-chairs and new host committee members will gather in New York City for fashion’s biggest night. This year, Nicole Kidman will take on the role of co-chair for the third time out of her six total attendances. She previously co-hosted the event in 2003 and 2005. Now, she’ll be joined by the likes of Venus Williams, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and Anna Wintour for the annual fête.
This year, the Gala will debut the exhibition, “Costume Art,” which will explore the juxtaposition between garments and works of art, along with “the complex interplay between artistic representations of the body and fashion as an embodied art form,” according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Gala dress code will be “Fashion Is Art,” inviting its esteemed guests to express their individual and unique relationship to fashion as an art form and celebrate depictions of the dressed body throughout history.
With her superb acting as natural as her diamond jewelry choices, Kidman has more jewelry to look back on than her many iconic wigs. Ahead, take a deep dive into her unerringly chic diamond moments throughout the years.
Nicole Kidman Wore Vintage Jewelry From Martin Katz to the 1997 Oscars
Attending the 1997 Oscars ceremony alongside her then-husband Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman stole the show in her chartreuse silk embroidered gown from John Galliano’s first Haute Couture collection for Christian Dior. She tastefully teamed the Spring/Summer 1997 ensemble with Indian Mughal gold chandelier earrings, featuring natural rose-cut diamonds and dangling natural pearls, with red and green enamel and matching bangles.
Kidman and her longtime stylist, L’Wren Scott, reached out to Beverly Hills-based jewelry designer Martin Katz, who was still working with vintage jewelry at the time, while also creating his own contemporary jewels.
“When L’Wren first contacted me about that outfit, she thought she’d like to see something in ruby,” Katz reveals to Only Natural Diamonds. “But as soon as I saw [the dress], I knew I had exactly what she should wear with it. I had recently acquired this truly spectacular and truly old Mughal set. The suite was a bit of a pride and joy of mine, and when I saw that dress, I just knew it was right.” When he presented Kidman’s team with the earrings and a pair of matching inlaid enamel bangles, it was the perfect fit —a look that remains one of the most memorable Oscar jewelry moments to this day.
It’s one of the most iconic looks that ever hit the red carpet.
He says, “When I showed L’Wren, she flipped. And now it’s one of the most iconic looks that ever hit the red carpet.” Kidman and L’Wren Scott worked together in a stylish collaboration for the ages before the stylist and designer passed away in 2014. “I worked with L’Wren a lot,” says Katz. “She had quite a dynamic nature to her. I loved her knowledge of style. She didn’t shoot from the hip. She really knew her game.”
Katz continues, “I was really thrilled and tickled with the suit for that dress. I never would have guessed that it would have done what it did. I don’t think you ever can. It’s always hard to predict.”
Nicole Kidman Wore Diamond Tennis Necklaces to the 1997 Golden Globes
Nicole Kidman arrived at the 1997 Golden Globe Awards with her former husband, Tom Cruise, wearing an elegant black Givenchy dress by John Galliano with cap sleeves and a sheer neckline, paired with dangling diamond drop earrings and four layers of diamond tennis necklaces.
Nicole Kidman Wore Canturi Jewelry in the 2001 Film Moulin Rouge!
Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 Academy Award-winning cinematic adventure Moulin Rouge! features one of the most prominent pieces of diamond jewelry in film history. Set in 1899 Paris during the Bohemian Revolution, Nicole Kidman stars as the courtesan Satine, also known as the “Sparkling Diamond.” When the evil Duke tries to claim her for himself, he places an intricate diamond bib necklace around her neck to win her affections, representing his possession of her.
Designed by Australian jeweler Stefano Canturi and named after Nicole Kidman’s character in Moulin Rouge!, the Satine necklace entered the Guinness World Records as one of the most expensive jewels ever created for a motion picture.
Company and Brand Director, Patricia Canturi, found herself captivated with Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin’s Romeo + Juliet. The film’s avant-garde instinct keeps the classic intact. That vision felt perfectly aligned with the direction Canturi was pursuing. After Patricia approached costume designer Catherine Martin with a portfolio of Stefano Canturi’s jewelry designs, Stefano and Patricia met with Martin and Luhrmann to discuss the role the necklace might play in the film.
Patricia and Stefano proposed that the narrative-driven jewel be made with real natural diamonds rather than paste. Handcrafted over four months using century-old techniques, the elaborate piece was inspired by the opulent lace-like designs of the Louis XVI era.
Nicole has a swan-like neck and décolletage. It was exquisite to design Satine for her.
“I wanted Satine to be an authentic period piece,” Stefano Canturi tells Only Natural Diamonds. “The Louis XVI style gave me the language – the openwork lace, the scrolls, the splendor of bodice jewelry – but I was also drawn to the broader spirit of the late 1800s, when fine jewelry was designed, crafted, and worn with passion. Nicole’s neckline and décolletage were exquisite to design for. The piece had to belong to her.”
Set with 1,308 diamonds totaling 134 carats, the largest stone is a 5-carat emerald-cut diamond set in 18ct white gold. Finished with a 2.5-carat cabochon-cut Sri Lankan blue sapphire clasp, the necklace embodied both period authenticity and cinematic extravagance, cementing its place as one of film’s most legendary jewels.
Canturi shares, “On set, [the necklace] became known as ‘she.’ Nicole would ask, ‘Is she here?'” He says, “Nicole has a swan-like neck and décolletage. It was exquisite to design Satine for her — she was the ideal canvas for a piece in the Louis XVI tradition. What I loved most was her authenticity. She genuinely appreciated the care, the skill, and the work that went into Satine. That meant a great deal.”
Nicole Kidman Wore Bulgari Jewelry to the 2002 Oscars
Nicole Kidman wore a petal pink chiffon Chanel Haute Couture frock to the 2002 ceremony and delivered a truly iconic Oscars jewelry moment. A noted fan of Italian jewelry house Bulgari, Kidman was involved in the design of the 241-carat rough-cut layered chain choker diamond necklace.
At the time, Nicola Bulgari said, “She sketched a wraparound necklace with a tail down the back.” He continued, “We wanted it to look as if it wrapped the neck casually, but the diamonds had to be separated to keep them from scratching one another.” Later valued at $4 million, the co-designed piece was reportedly purchased by an admiring client.
Nicole Kidman Wore Diamond Earrings to the 2003 Oscars
When accepting her very first Oscar in 2003 for playing Virginia Woolf in The Hours, Kidman wore a classic black Jean Paul Gaultier gown with stunning diamond chandelier earrings. Each earring features two graduated half-moon diamonds to echo flower baskets, mounted with a floral motif composed of emeralds, rubies, onyx, and diamonds, hung from baguette and brilliant-cut diamond terminals. Three pear-shaped diamonds dangle from the bottom basket, with brilliant-cut diamond collets.
Nicole Kidman Wore Fred Leighton Jewelry to the 2003 Met Gala
Nicole Kidman co-hosted the annual Met Gala in 2003 alongside legendary designer Tom Ford, who was then helming the fashion house Gucci and dressed Kidman for the occasion. With the theme in tribute to “Goddesses” that year, the actress teamed her glistening frock with clavicle-grazing natural diamond fringed drop earrings from antique jewelry retailer Fred Leighton.
Nicole Kidman Wore Bulgari Jewelry to the 2003 Cannes Film Festival
Kidman wore a Bulgari gold, turquoise, and natural diamond necklace to the Dogville press circuit at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. With a renewed interest, videos of Kidman wearing the necklace during the press conference have recently gone viral as she lights up a cigarette and is softly chastised by her director.
Nicole Kidman Wore a Diamond Rivière Necklace to the 2005 Met Gala
In 2005, Kidman joined Anne Wintour and Karl Lagerfeld as a co-chair for the Met Gala – her second time taking on the role. The theme that year revolved around “The House of Chanel,” so Kidman appropriately selected a navy blue strapless Chanel Haute Couture creation featuring asymmetrical embellishments. Leaving her décolletage free to decorate, the actress added a classic rivière necklace with impressive antique-cut natural diamonds.
Nicole Kidman Wore L’Wren Scott Jewelry to the 2008 Oscars
With a knack for memorable Oscars jewelry, Nicole Kidman wore a black Balenciaga gown at the 2008 ceremony, paired with a dramatic custom piece created by L’Wren Scott with 1,399 carats of rough and polished diamonds — 7,645 individual stones in total. With all the stones hand-selected, the bib necklace took over 6,000 hours to create.
Nicole Kidman Wore Fred Leighton Jewelry to the 2016 UNICEF Ball
Kidman attended the 2016 UNICEF Ball, wearing a royal purple sequined Louis Vuitton gown with a plunging neckline – the perfect backdrop for a stunning 19th-century vintage natural diamond necklace from Fred Leighton.
Nicole Kidman Wore Fred Leighton Jewelry to the 2016 Met Gala
Kidman arrived at the 2016 Met Gala, celebrating “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology,” wearing a caped gown from Alexander McQueen’s Fall/Winter 2016 collection, embellished with moons and stars, topped off with a vintage 19th-century diamond tiara and inverted pear-shaped diamond drop earrings from Fred Leighton, styled by Julia von Boehm.
Nicole Kidman Wore Fred Leighton Jewelry to the 2016 Critics’ Choice Awards
They say to wear your heart on your sleeve, but have you considered wearing a vintage diamond double-clip brooch on your sleeve? Kidman inventively wore an Art Deco diamond brooch from Fred Leighton on the sleeve of her black Brandon Maxwell gown at the 2016 Critics’ Choice Awards.
Nicole Kidman Wore Fred Leighton Jewelry to the 2017 Golden Globes
Nominated for Best Supporting Actress thanks to her role in Lion, Kidman attended the 2017 Golden Globes wearing a silver embellished Alexander McQueen gown with a 19th-century double-strand diamond rivière necklace, featuring Old Mine-cut diamonds from Fred Leighton.
Nicole Kidman Wore Fred Leighton Jewelry to the 2017 Glamour Women of the Year Awards
Kidman went for an unexpected jewelry assortment at the 2017 Glamour Women of the Year Awards, championing the versatility of 19th-century baubles from Fred Leighton. The actress wore an antique diamond star tiara, reimagined as a choker. Obsession with the stars and other celestial themes reached a peak in the 19th century, thanks to Halley’s Comet in 1835. Starry motifs were found on diamond tiaras, bracelets, brooches, hair clips, and more.
Kidman teamed the head-turning transformable jewel with 19th-century diamond pendant earrings and a Christian Dior tiered gown, embellished with a cartoon winged woman. She said that evening, “Even if your wings get clipped, you can build them back, and you can fly,” — all the way to the stars, apparently.
Nicole Kidman Wore Harry Winston Jewelry to the 2022 Oscars
If Nicole Kidman isn’t on the red carpet, did a red carpet even happen? The legend and Best Actress nominee for her role as Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos turned out yet another iconic red carpet moment at the 2022 Oscars in a custom Armani Privé powder blue silk faille strapless bustier gown and Harry Winston diamonds.
Kidman’s diamond jewelry look included the 33.42-carat Eagle Diamond Necklace with a pear-shaped yellow diamond drop, diamond bracelets, earrings, and a ring.
Nicole Kidman Wore Harry Winston Jewelry to the 2023 Met Gala
Kidman looked whimsical at the 2023 Met Gala, wearing the same Chanel gown she wore in the 2004 Chanel No. 5 short film advertisement, shot by Baz Luhrmann to celebrate “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.” To complete her iconic look, the actress wore diamond chandelier earrings from Harry Winston.
Nicole Kidman Wore Ana Khouri Jewelry to the 2023 Kering Caring for Women Dinner
Kidman attended the 2023 Kering Caring for Women Dinner in an ice blue strapless ruffled Balenciaga Haute Couture gown with black opera gloves and the diamond Ana Khouri Phillipa Ear Cuff.
“My first Phillipa Ear Cuff was designed in 2018,” Khouri tells Only Natural Diamonds. “I had created a sculpture with the same shape that I kept at my home. Every day, I looked at it and thought it would be an interesting piece of jewelry. I made an ear cuff [with the same silhouette] and wore it all the time. With so many people asking about it, I then produced it.”
Nicole Kidman Wore Roberto Coin Jewelry to the 2024 Venice Film Festival
Nicole Kidman arrived at the 2024 Venice Film Festival for the premiere of her new film Babygirl, wearing a black Bottega Veneta dress with Roberto Coin’s Venetian Princess black jade and natural diamond drop earrings, styled by Jason Bolden. Later, she stepped out on the red carpet in a Schiaparelli gown and a dazzling display of diamond rings, also from Roberto Coin.
Nicole Kidman Wore Messika Jewelry to the 2024 Academy Museum Gala
Kidman arrived at the 2024 Academy Museum Gala in a chic black Balenciaga gown with matching opera gloves and Messika diamond Groove hoop earrings from the Midnight Sun High Jewelry collection.
Nicole Kidman Wore Boucheron Jewelry to the 2025 Golden Globes
Styled by Jason Bolden, Kidman dazzled in Boucheron diamond Lierre de Paris pendant earrings and a silver asymmetrical backless Balenciaga gown at the 2025 Golden Globe Awards.
