The 35 best Met Gala jewellery looks of all time

Anok Yai turned the Met Gala into her personal galaxy in a celestial, crystal-encrusted bodysuit by Swarovski. But it was the epic floral necklace, also by Swarovski, that stole the show - sitting like a frozen bloom at her collarbone, refracting light with every step. A masterclass in futuristic regality and icy precision.

Cardi B stunned in a voluminous black gown by Windowsen and her necklace - featuring a 141-carat Colombian emerald - turned the entire look into a high-glam masterpiece. The oversized emerald pendant, ring stack, and chandelier earrings  by the Indian jewellery house Kamyen screamed modern royalty, pairing perfectly with her towering updo and signature smile.

Karlie Kloss walked the Met Gala red carpet in a surrealist custom Loewe gown - but it was her layered pearl necklaces that caught our eye. Cascading down the front and around the hips, the pearls echoed the theme’s nod to Karl Lagerfeld while adding a contemporary sculptural edge to her silhouette.

The British songstress decided on an opulent Tiffany & Co. Legendary Diamond necklace consisting of over 100 carats for last years event. 

A pregnant Rihanna donned a stack of pearls and diamonds from Bulgari's high jewellery collection last year. She paired her decedent stack with floral-shaped earrings and a pearl and diamond ear cuff.

Model, mother and business mogul Gigi Hadid chose to accessorise her custom Givenchy with a lab-grown diamond necklace from New York jeweller Smiling Rock and a set of pearls.

Anne Hathaway decided on a simple, yet striking Bulgari High Jewellery Monete necklace and bracelet set, both featuring a singular silver coin.

It was hard to tell where Amanda Seyfried's Cartier necklace began and her custom Oscar de la Renta corsetted dress stopped.

Michaela Coel made a statement in a headpiece, earring and ring moment from handcrafted jewellery maker Emefa Cole.

Blake Lively channeled the Statue of Liberty in a tiara by Lorraine Schwartz, featuring copper and green stones to mimic oxidized metal - a stunning nod to New York's most iconic landmark. Her geometric earrings, also by Schwartz, sparkled with matching emeralds and rose gold, complementing her transforming Versace gown. She didn’t just dress for the theme... she was the theme.

Cardi B opted for a custom Versace ensemble for the 2022 Met Gala. Her glitzy gold dress perfectly matched her excessive stack of Versace necklaces and Medusa motif earrings.

Created by hand from thrifted antiques, Bode created a fully custom headdress to match Lorde's 2022 two-piece look.

For the 2019 event, Kim Kardashian made her whole outfit a jewellery spectacle. Opting for a custom Thierry Mugler latex dress, dripping (literally) in hundreds of hand-adorned crystals. 

Harry Styles gave androgyny a pearl-clad edge in a single-drop pearl earring, which matched his sheer lace Gucci blouse. His accessories - including chunky rings and black nail polish - added soft rebellion to his dandy ensemble. It was gender-fluid elegance done right, with a wink to the 18th century and a nod to Gen Z.

Joan Collins brought full Dynasty fantasy to the Camp-themed 2019 Met Gala in a blinding suite of Cartier diamonds. Her tiara was a masterpiece of clustered brilliance, anchored by a wide floral necklace and dramatic drop earrings. The look was unapologetically maximalist, just like Joan herself - camp, couture, and fabulously over the top.

Dripping in over 7 million pounds worth of Harry Winston diamonds, Jennifer Lopez made sure to make an entrance. She paired her dripping diamonds with a glitzy Versace gown and headpiece.

Winne Harlow styled her custom Tommy Hilfiger corsetted ivory gown with a decadent diamond necklace, bracelets and rings all from Bulgari's High Jewellery collection.

In 2016 Blake Lively paired her blush pink Burberry gown with a set of drop-down pink and diamond encrusted earrings. 

Rihanna's iconic 2015 yellow gown and cape moment was accessorised to perfection with a stacked rose gold and diamond necklace from Cartier.

Rihanna made jaws drop in a pair of emerald-green chandelier earrings. Set against a sheer, lacy black gown, the jewels added a bold, luxurious contrast — like a modern Botticelli with a bad-girl twist.

Naomi Campbell turned heads in glittering vintage fan-shaped clips nestled into her sculpted updo. The Art Deco-inspired diamonds shimmered with every flash, echoing the elaborate embroidery on her gown. Paired with cascading chandelier earrings, her jewels gave her a celestial, statuesque glow.

Julia Roberts wore a glittering silver gown by and topped it off with classic  diamond drop earrings. The look was an ode to old-Hollywood sophistication — quietly dazzling but never overdone. Her tousled updo and natural glow let the intricate earrings do the talking, proving that sometimes, simplicity makes the strongest statement.

Lucy Liu stunned in a Grecian-inspired gold headpiece, designed with a central winged motif that exuded divine opulence. The diadem crowned her sleek low bun, offering a regal nod to classic mythology while complementing her rich plum gown. The look was timeless, elegant, and unexpected — the kind of glamour Met Gala dreams are made of.

J.Lo gave us vintage glamour in spades at the 2006 Met Gala, pairing her metallic gown with a diamond feather hair clip and statement earrings. Her Old Hollywood waves and megawatt smile made the whole thing sparkle like a jazz-age dream.

SJP gave punk princess energy in a one-shoulder Alexander McQueen tartan gown, but it was her jewellery that sealed the look: a brooch-style spiked shoulder pin and fierce, twisted earrings. The look was raw, rebellious, and so perfectly on-theme it hurt — a reminder that fashion and armour often go hand in hand.

The former Spice Girl turned heads in an opulent ruby and diamond encrusted necklace and matching earring set which matched both her strapless dress and bold lipstick choice.

Nicole Kidman made a statement back in 2003, donning a sheer, one-shouldered rhinestone encrusted gown and a pair of dangly diamond earrings.

In 1999 Gisele Bundchen perfectly matched her coral-like earrings to her intricately beaded ombre orange dress.

At the 1998 Met Gala, Liv Tyler paired her sleek pixie cut and noir slip dress with dazzling drop earrings. With her cool-toned complexion and piercing blue eyes, the icy diamonds caught the light just right. It was the kind of minimalist glamour that feels both '90s and eternal — proof that less really can be more.

In 1996, Princess Diana arrived at the Met Gala in navy blue Galliano for Dior, but all eyes were on her legendary sapphire and pearl choker - repurposed from a brooch gifted by the Queen Mother. The oversized sapphire, ringed with diamonds, became her signature. She was royal, yes - but that night, she was fashion royalty.

In 1992 Christy Turlington channeled her inner Breakfast At Tiffany's by donning a simple black gown layered with a decent stack of luscious pearls around her neck.

Jewellery designer Paloma Picasso brought Upper East Side polish to the Met Gala with a deep-cut black gown and sculptural gold chain necklace. Understated and severe, the jewellery choice matched her razor-sharp wit and legendary social presence.

Cher’s 1985 Met Gala look was all shimmer and second-skin sparkle, thanks to Bob Mackie. But her jewellery - diamond-flecked ear cuffs and cascading chandelier earrings - cemented her place in Met history. The look wasn’t subtle, but that was the point. She had a crystal 'naked dress' goddess moment before red carpets demanded them.

Diana Vreeland’s ruby-red sparkle at the Met Gala was iconic, but it was the jewels - chunky red statement earrings and a geometric bib necklace - that sealed her status as fashion's high priestess. The pieces were vintage costume jewels, curated to match her usual maximalist eye. Next to Yves Saint Laurent, she looked at home on her throne as the queen of the fashion.

Zandra Rhodes brought the drama in her signature pink mane and avant-garde jewels. Rhodes’ sculptural, almost space-age necklace was custom-designed—metallic, geometric, and unapologetically eccentric.

Wallis Simpson graced the 1974 Met Gala in a sapphire-blue gown and matching brooch - a dazzling piece shaped like a stylised drop. Worn with white gloves and jewelled earrings, it was classic Duchess style: regal and dripping with elegance.