All About Lady Gaga’s Tiffany Diamond Necklace And Why She Was Chosen To Wear It
Lady Gaga’s Tiffany Diamond was the talk of the Academy Awards. The singer and songwriter wore a 128-carat solitaire worth a reported $30 million dollars, the most expensive solitaire ever worn, to the Oscars. Town & Country reported that the previous record had been held by Gloria Stuart’s $20 million Harry Winston blue diamond inspired by Titanic’s Heart of the Ocean worn in 1998.
The official Tiffany press site reported that Gaga is the third person to wear the iconic diamond. The other two women were Mary Whitehouse for the 1957 Tiffany Ball in Newport, Rhode Island, and Audrey Hepburn in publicity photographs for the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The diamond, according to Vogue, has also been featured in the windows of the flagship Tiffany store in New York and at exhibitions in South Africa, London, and Paris.
Why was it important for Gaga to wear the necklace for such a public occasion? Gaga was likely chosen to wear the iconic and dynamic piece of jewelry as she was clearly the sweetheart of the 2019 Oscars, nominated for not only Best Lead Actress in a Motion Picture but also Best Original Song in a Motion Picture. Her outfit was reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn’s iconic look from the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, a black dress, gloves, and hairstyle similar of the film superstar’s look, which has been reimagined many times in the fashion world since the film’s initial debut in 1961.
Vogue reprinted a statement by Reed Krakoff, Tiffany & Co.’s chief artistic officer, which said, “Lady Gaga is the ultimate creator, innovator and rule breaker, and I’m thrilled that she will be wearing the legendary Tiffany Diamond on the awards show red carpet for the first time since it was discovered 141 years ago.”
Although Gaga did not win her Best Actress bid, she did take home Oscar gold for Best Original Song. The diamond was also seen prominently during the show’s iconic red carpet, during her Oscars acceptance speech and during the performance of “Shallow” alongside Bradley Cooper. It was also the first time the diamond had graced an award show red carpet, reported the official Tiffany site.
The official Tiffany site reported that the large stone was found in the Kimberley diamond mine in South Africa in 1877. The stone, which totals 128.54 carats, was purchased by founder Charles Lewis Tiffany for $18,000.
This was not the first time Tiffany & Co. has allowed the star to wear its diamonds on the red carpet. Gaga also wore a Tiffany Aurora Necklace to the 2019 Golden Globe Awards. The piece was specifically crafted for the singer. It had over 300 brilliant diamonds, including a radiant 20-carat, pear-shaped diamond at the center of the necklace, per the official Tiffany site.
“We are thrilled to dress our friend, fellow native New Yorker Lady Gaga for tonight’s Golden Globes. She is a visionary artist who truly exemplifies creativity and iconic style,” said Krakoff.
