Editors

This Ohio Designer’s Jewelry Made It to the Met Gala

EditorsMay 05, 2026

This Ohio Designer’s Jewelry Made It to the Met Gala

Megan Piccione dressed Lauren Wasser in layers of diamond jewelry, making her stand out in a crowd that included celebrities like Beyoncé.

Met Gala 2026 Beyonce, Lisa Manobal, Hailey Bieber
For the 2026 Met Gala, attendees like (left to right) Beyoncé, Lisa Manobal, and Hailey Bieber were asked to express the concept of fashion as an art form and celebrate depictions of the dressed body throughout history. (Images courtesy of Chopard, Bulgari, and Suzanne Belperron/Images Credit: Getty Images)
The Met Gala has returned once again with outstanding looks worn by celebrities that attempt to answer the age-old question, Is fashion art?

The theme invited attendees to express their own relationship to fashion as an art form and celebrate depictions of the dressed body throughout art history, The Met said.

While their clothing told a story evoking the theme, it wouldn’t have been complete without jewelry.

Pieces from many of the usual brands, like Tiffany & Co., Bulgari, and Chopard, were spotted on the red carpet while Cleveland, Ohio-based independent jeweler Megan Piccione made her Met Gala debut, crafting a layered look that stood out.

Here are the jewelry looks I think best embodied the 2026 Met Gala theme, “Fashion Is Art.”


Lauren Wasser
Lauren Wasser 2026 Met Gala
Images courtesy of Megan Piccione High Jewelry/Images Credit: Getty Images

Model and activist Lauren Wasser stunned at the Met Gala in layers of one-of-a-kind Megan Piccione High Jewelry.

The Cleveland, Ohio-based father-daughter atelier crafted her look, marking not only Wasser’s first time at the event, but also the jeweler’s first time bringing its couture-level jewels to one of the most globally recognized red-carpet events.

“This moment represents years of quiet work,” said Megan Piccione, owner and president of her namesake brand.

“Everything we create begins from nothing and is built by hand, in-house. To see that process culminate on the Met carpet—on a woman like Lauren, whose presence carries both strength and meaning—is incredibly significant for us.”

Piccione was named one of Jewelers of America’s 20 Under 40 in 2024.

Affectionately nicknamed “the girl with the golden legs,” Wasser had to have both her legs amputated following a severe bout of toxic shock syndrome.

She served on the Met Gala committee this year as the museum’s soon-to-open “Costume Art” exhibition explores the dressed body in all forms. 

Wasser’s diamond jewels flowed, from her layered necklaces to her hands filled with a ring on almost every finger.

A standout piece was a diamond necklace featuring an 8.09-carat fancy yellow diamond with a diamond halo totaling 2.20 carats.

It was styled alongside an 18-karat yellow gold necklace with a stunning 12.72-carat step-cut marquise diamond and another necklace with 31 carats of fancy yellow and white diamonds.

The 18-karat yellow gold “Twist” ring featuring a 4.02-carat emerald-cut diamond trailed up one of Wasser’s fingers, while another finger was wrapped in an 18-karat white and rose gold ring set with pavé diamonds.

Wasser also wore a three-stone ring centering on a 6.01-carat radiant-cut fancy vivid yellow diamond flanked by emerald-cut diamond side stones.

She completed her look with a 5.25-carat diamond cathedral ring in 18-karat white gold and a 4.52 carat oval-cut diamond eternity band.


Venus Williams
Embed from Getty Images
Venus Williams, who co-chaired the Met Gala alongside Beyoncé, wore a Swarovski look nodding to her 2022 portrait by Robert Pruitt for the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery.

Her black gown was accented by a sculptural chest piece crafted after the Wimbledon plate-inspired necklace she is depicted wearing in her Smithsonian portrait.

Both the chest piece and her portrait feature images of her parents, sports achievements, and references her roots in Compton, California.

It was crafted in sterling silver and features 3,800 Swarovski crystals.

“For Venus, we wanted to create something powerful and regal, rooted in her own story. The dress is built with couture construction to sculpt the body and carry both strength and symbolism,” said Giovanna Engelbert, global creative director of Swarovski.

She finished the look with an ear story complete with studs and ear cuffs.


Lisa Manobal
Lisa Manobal 2026 Met Gala
Images courtesy of Bulgari/Images Credit: Getty Images

As a Bulgari brand ambassador, everybody expected Lisa Manobal, an actress and member of the K-pop group Blackpink, would walk the Met Gala’s cobblestone carpet wearing the brand’s pieces.

Nobody expected she would wear a pair of 3D-printed arms and put jewelry on them.

Manobal wore a stunning necklace from Bulgari’s “Eclettica” collection featuring a 50.19-carat cabochon sapphire set in a platinum and 18-karat white gold accented by buff-top sapphires and marquise, step-cut, and pavé-set diamonds.

She also wore a coordinating pair of high jewelry earrings showcasing pear-cut sapphires as well as marquise, round brilliant, fancy step-cut, and pavé diamonds and buff-top sapphires.

The actress’s 3D-printed arms held a veil of fabric over her head and were adorned with a high jewelry “Serpenti” necklace and bracelet.

The arms also wore a “Serpenti Spiga” high jewelry double-spiral watch with a diamond-set case and a “Serpenti” 18-karat white gold ring set with emerald eyes.


Sabrina Carpenter
Embed from Getty Images
Sabrina Carpenter selected two Chopard necklaces to pair with her custom Christian Dior dress constructed of film from Audrey Hepburn’s 1954 film “Sabrina,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Two 18-karat white gold necklaces from Chopard’s “Haute Joaillerie” collection hung from her dress, one featuring 54.84 carats of diamonds and the other with 48.15 carats of diamonds.

The “House Tour” singer continued her focus on diamond pieces in 18-karat white gold with a pair of earrings set with 9.59 carats of diamonds, a ring with 2.46 carats of diamonds, and a ring from the “Ice Cube” collection.

She also wore a headpiece by Dior that was dripping in (non-precious) gems with a center stone inscribed with her name.


Stevie Nicks
Embed from Getty Images
“Fleetwood Mac” frontwoman Stevie Nicks attended the Met Gala for the first time, walking the red carpet and performing a duet with Carpender on the song “Landslide,” all in Tiffany & Co. jewelry.

The standout piece was a platinum and 18-karat yellow gold necklace from the brand’s 2024 Blue Book, centering on a more than 14-carat crystal opal accented by diamonds.

The legendary singer continued the cool-toned look with a pair of platinum line earrings set with more than 5 carats of diamonds and a pair of diamond stud earrings.

She also wore two 18-karat yellow gold and platinum rings, both featuring on a diamond weighing more than 5 carats.


Chase Infiniti
Embed from Getty Images
Actress Chase Infiniti delivered another conversation-starting look on the red carpet. 

Stepping away from the De Beers London jewelry that she wore throughout awards season, the Oscar nominee selected jewels by Marli to complement her colorful gown.

Infiniti wore a pair of “Lady Liberty” earrings set with diamonds, green tourmaline, white opal, and tsavorite, which brought out the color in her painting-like Thom Browne gown. 

She also selected a bracelet from Marli’s “Cleo” collection and two rings from its “Twilight” collection. 


Beyoncé
Beyonce 2026 Met Gala
Image courtesy of Chopard/Image Credit: Getty Images

Of course, Beyoncé stole the show as soon as she was spotted at the Met Gala for the first time in a decade wearing a sparkling skeleton gown by Olivier Rousteing.

She chose Chopard jewels to continue the shine, with an 18-karat Fairmined white gold necklace and a bracelet from “The Garden of Kalahari” collection.

The necklace features a 6.41 carat brilliant-cut diamond accented by 140 carats of diamonds while the bracelet has two emerald-cut diamonds totaling 21 carats.

A 50.99-carat cabochon emerald cuff from Chopard’s 2026 “Red Carpet” collection brought a pop of color to the sparkling skeleton.

On the superstar singer’s ears were two pairs of 18-karat white gold earrings from the “Precious Lace” collection, one with 13.45 carats of diamonds and the other with 3.77 carats.


Hailey Bieber
Hailey Bieber 2026 Met Gala
Image courtesy of Belperron/Image Credit: Getty Images

Hailey Bieber looked to this year’s theme to not only embody fashion as an art form but also celebrate dressing throughout art history with a Greek-inspired Saint Laurent gown.

Her Suzanne Belperron jewelry echoed her golden bodice through the sculptural texture of the gold, reminiscent of ancient gold treasures.

She chose the “Leaf” earclips, “Et Moi” ring, and two “Boureelet” rings—one in sapphire and one in emerald—from Belperron’s “The Virgin Gold” collection.

These pieces use a proprietary technique where 22-karat yellow gold is reinforced with an 18-karat backing for structural integrity as each piece is hand-hammered, chiseled, and brushed for a soft glow with antiqued patina.


Isha M. Ambani
Embed from Getty Images
Indian billionaire Isha M. Ambani’s jewels were the true star of the red carpet as they took over the bodice of her custom Gaurav Gupta sari crafted from pure gold threads.

Vogue India reported in an exclusive story that Ambani’s bodice was said to have emeralds and more than 200 old mine-cut diamonds from her mother Nita Ambani’s private collection.

Ambani stunned with two graduated diamond necklaces totaling more than 250 carats of diamonds, while her custom Lorraine Schwartz choker features a 50-carat Colombian emerald.

She also told Vogue during a red-carpet interview that some of the pieces she was seen wearing are sentimental gifts she received when her children were born.

To add to her already incomparable look, she carried a Subodh Gupta mango sculpture.


Zoë Kravitz
Embed from Getty Images
Zoë Kravitz walked the Met Gala’s cobblestone carpet in jewels by Jessica McCormack, a designer with whom she frequently collaborates.

Her earrings echoed the floral lace of her Saint Laurent gown as diamonds dripped from the yellow roses.

Kravitz was seen wearing a matching floral ring. However, the actress kept her right hand in her pocket. Could it have been to hide her rumored engagement ring from Harry Styles? 

 Related stories will be right here …
 

The Latest

The Retail Smiths founder and National Jeweler columnist Peter Smith
ColumnistsJun 03, 2026
Peter Smith: When Top Talent Leaves and What It Says About You

Smith discusses how managers should handle a top performer's exit, warning that a poor response could have a lasting impact.

Screenshot of the Tracr website homepage
GradingJun 03, 2026
GIA’s Tracr Investment Is First Step Toward Industry-Owned Platform

The Gemological Institute of America is now a 30 percent stakeholder in Tracr, the De Beers-backed blockchain for diamonds.

The 1916 Company Coast to Coast Roadshow
WatchesJun 03, 2026
The 1916 Company Taking Pre-Owned Rolexes on the Road, Again

The retailer is bringing Rolex Certified Pre-Owned watches to five U.S. cities in 2026 for collectors to see, try on, and purchase.

PG-05-SHOT-2-LUCIDA.033 1.png
Brought to you by
All Eyes on Gold Prices. Alternatives to Look For. And What to BEWARE of in Vegas

As gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.

Jessica Alba in Gabriel & Co. campaign
IndependentsJun 03, 2026
Jessica Alba Is the New Face of Gabriel & Co.

The actress and entrepreneur stars in the jeweler’s new campaign that celebrates life’s quiet moments.

Weekly QuizMay 28, 2026
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Anna Maccieri Rossi Ora Wood Sunrise Cuff, Marie Lichtenberg High Jewelry Bandana, Anna Maccieri Rossi Carpe Diem Pendant
TrendsJun 03, 2026
State of Design: Only the Innovative Will Survive

The price of gold has risen, affecting the number of pieces designers make, the materials they use, and how they position themselves.

Woman with crossed hands and rings on fingers
FinancialsJun 02, 2026
Signet Jewelers’ Q1 Sales Up 2% As It Focuses on ‘Core Four’

The jewelry retailer is zeroing in on Zales, Jared, Kay Jewelers, and Blue Nile as it looks to create unique brand identities for each.

1872x1052-NextGem-2026-National-Jeweler-Advertorial.jpg
Brought to you by
How Modern Training Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Jewelry Retailers

With the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, chairperson of the Diamonds for Development Fund
SourcingJun 02, 2026
Leader Appointed for Botswana’s Diamonds for Development Fund

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, a development economist, will head the fund created to help Botswana diversify its economy.

James Marks
WatchesJun 02, 2026
Watch Industry Veteran James Marks Joins Sotheby’s

Sotheby’s has appointed the former Phillips executive as its global head of private sales and retail in its watches division.

Sothebys 10-carat blue diamond, 120 carat Harry Winston diamond necklace
AuctionsJun 02, 2026
Sotheby’s to Auction 10-Carat Blue Diamond, 1960s Harry Winston Necklace

A private collection of five Paraíba tourmalines also will be up for sale at Sotheby’s High Jewelry auction in New York, scheduled for June 16.

People shopping in a jewelry store
IndependentsJun 02, 2026
State of Retail: 6 Things Retailers Should Know About Consumers Today

From Gen Z’s view of luxury to “doom spending,” these are the six consumer trends to note this year.

Zahn-Z Big Zaha Art Deco Ring
Events & AwardsJun 01, 2026
Design Atelier Brands Have a Big Night at Emotional Couture Design Awards

The show started by honoring Mildred Marcano, ended with a tearful Beth Anne Bonanno, and recognized a dozen-plus designers in between.

Rapaport's rebranding
SourcingJun 01, 2026
RapNet Rebranding as Rapaport Trade

The revamped online diamond marketplace will feature pricing intelligence and data-driven tools for more efficient buying and selling.

Gemfields emeralds
SourcingJun 01, 2026
Gemfields’ Higher-Quality Emerald Auction Achieves $26.8M

The miner said demand for higher-quality emeralds is stable, but there is notable caution in the market.

Cultus Artem River of Heaven Necklace
CollectionsMay 29, 2026
Cultus Artem’s Necklace Is the Oasis in Las Vegas’ Desert

The “River of Heaven” necklace, our Piece of the Week debuting at Couture, combines 26 salt and pepper diamonds spaced by Tahitian pearls.

Sean Dunn, Amy Greenberg, Elise Greenberg, Coleman Clark, Mitchell Clark
IndependentsMay 29, 2026
Meet the 2026 Retailer Hall of Fame Inductees

This year’s inductees include second-, third-, and fourth-generation jewelers.

Jesse Itzler
Events & AwardsMay 28, 2026
JCK Announces Jesse Itzler as 2026 Keynote Speaker

The author, speaker, and entrepreneur will give his presentation, “Spiritual Billionaire,” on Saturday morning.

JCK Rocks Nelly Graphic
Events & AwardsMay 28, 2026
JCK Rocks To Ride With Nelly

Three-time Grammy award-winning artist Nelly is set to perform at the annual event at Tao Beach on Sunday night.

A screen shot of The Clear Cut's website
MajorsMay 28, 2026
Signet Jewelers to Buy The Clear Cut

Signet will integrate the online-only, natural diamond-focused jeweler into Blue Nile, which it wants to position as a higher-end retailer.

Itä Aguaviva Tassel Pendant, Ashaha Anzar Cuff, Cultus Artem Quetzal Ring
CollectionsMay 28, 2026
Meet The 17 Newcomers to Couture’s Design Atelier

These up-and-coming jewelry brands are bringing their distinct aesthetic and unique point-of-view to the Design Atelier for the first time.

GCAL 8x Cushion Cut diamond
GradingMay 28, 2026
GCAL By Sarine Launches 8X Cushion Cut

The lab’s proprietary diamond cut grade has been expanded to include the popular fancy shape.

Stock image of police cars with their lights on
Events & AwardsMay 27, 2026
5 Security Tips for Las Vegas Jewelry Market Week 2026

This year, it’s what could happen outside of show hours that worries JSA Executive Vice President Scott Guginsky.

Smart Age Solutions CEO and National Jeweler columnist Emmanuel Raheb
ColumnistsMay 27, 2026
What Jewelers Can Learn From Luxury Fashion’s Digital Playbook

High-end fashion houses know how to emotionally connect with customers online. Retail jewelers should take note, Emmanuel Raheb writes.

Couture The Iridescence designers Aziza-Abdullah Nicole, Cindy Liebe, Danyell Roscoe, Jessica Liu, Marie Helena from Rebel Jewelry, Julia de Souza, and Xiao Wang
Events & AwardsMay 27, 2026
Couture’s ‘The Iridescence’ Will Showcase 7 Emerging Jewelry Designers

The designers are the third cohort of mentees from the show’s Belonging @ Couture mentorship program.

National Jeweler columnist Sherry Smith, partner at The Retail Smiths
ColumnistsMay 26, 2026
The Key Mindset for Better Trade Show Buying

Buying discipline at trade shows starts with clarity about your inventory levels, Smith writes.

JCK Talks panel on stage
Events & AwardsMay 26, 2026
12 JCK Talks Sessions to Add to Your Las Vegas Schedule

The trade show’s education series returns, with sessions on retail trends, AI, watches, marketing, corporate responsibility, and more.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy