6 Jewelry Predictions To Watch for at the 2026 Met Gala
Fashion’s Biggest Night is upon us again, so it's time to bet on the odds for who will wear who, and what
At the 2026 Met Gala on May 4, the red carpet promises to be a showcase for looks that deliver a compelling mix of drama, grandeur, and head-to-toe storytelling. As in previous seasons, the scale and caliber of the jewelry on display are expected to be an undeniable highlight.
Celebrities and their stylists tend to use the Met Gala’s stated dress code as an inspiration point; this year, that directive is “Fashion is Art,” in keeping with the focus of the Met’s newest costume exhibition: Costume Art. As noted by the Met, the show will pair “garments with artworks to reveal the inherent relationship between clothing and the body” within gallery spaces that are organized by thematic body types (e.g., “Naked Body” and “Classical Body”). The specificity of these details hints at what the evening’s fashion moments could look like—and allows us to speculate on the types of jewels and gems that are most likely to enhance the overall effect.
1. Body “Art”
The “Fashion is Art” dress code feels tailor-made for modernist and even surrealist looks. As such, you might see showpieces created by actual artists (like Picasso, Dalí, or Calder, who all made jewelry at one time or another). We can also anticipate the influence of a single necklace seen at the 2026 Oscars: Taffin de Givenchy’s asymmetrical, minimalist choker set with a 22.58 cognac diamond. It looped around the neck of actress Rose Byrne like a piece of wearable sculpture, a moment that dovetails perfectly with the theme of the 2026 Met Gala, where jewels that are similarly graphic and architectural in spirit could make an appearance.
In general, necklaces with a thoughtful consideration of line and form should be well represented, whether it’s collars and torques (a well-documented 2026 red carpet trend) or a glistening diamond “backlace” that drapes down an open back. Beyond necklaces, look for other types of jewels that highlight the body’s own architecture—from fingers (see Cynthia Erivo’s stacked rings and stiletto-shaped nails at the 2025 Oscars) to the elegant curve of the ear (see: Michelle Yeoh’s Boucheron substantial diamond ear climber at the same event).
2. Hairpins & Headpieces
Historically, hair has been one the most culturally coded parts of the body—tied to ritual, status, gender, and transformation. As the highest focal point of any red carpet look, a jeweled comb, crown, or other headpiece can be the element of an attendee’s red carpet moment that gets noticed first. Or it can serve as a cohesive finishing touch to complete the composition’s sartorial narrative. Given the Met’s extensive collection of statuary and antiquities—consider this ancient Egyptian gold diadem—hair accessories might take their cues from classical references.
Alternatively, if the attendee’s gown privileges an exceptional amount of volume, or is quite richly embellished with an elaborate print or textured beading, the hair ornaments could balance these details with just a hint of sparkle. At the 2026 Oscars, Zoë Kravitz puts a fitting visual on this practical approach with her choice of a tousled bun accented with a diamond hairpin by Jessica McCormack.
3. Pearls
Some celebrities and stylists might be inspired by one of the Costume Art exhibition’s central themes: The idea that the body itself can serve as a “naked” canvas for fashion. Sheer fabrics and skin-tone palettes are likely interpretations; partial nudity might also be a 2026 Met Gala trope. That could mean something truly scandalous—or perhaps it’s just plunging necklines, backless gowns or architectural garments designed with cutout details. And that’s where pearls come in. They are known to be responsive to skin contact, warming up when you fasten a strand around your neck or absorbing the skin’s natural oils to develop a deeper, more lustrous sheen over time.
Given these attributes, pearls could have a strong presence on the 2026 Met Gala red carpet, whether the classic cultured variety (perhaps from Mikimoto or a Yoko London), cloud-like baroque pearls from a designer like Irene Neuwirth, mysterious Tahitian pearls with their blue-green tonalities, or the inimitable glow—and impressive size—of golden South Sea pearls. Jewels that incorporate mother-of-pearl inlay could also mesh well with looks that reveal substantial amounts of unclothed skin: The jewelry houses of Boghossian, Garrard, Hemmerle, and Fernando Jorge have highlighted the material in their work, while contemporary voices like Melanie Georgacopoulos have pushed mother of pearl into more conceptual territory, layering it into sculptural statement pieces for a graphic mix of soft, barely-there colors and structured geometry.
4. Desert Diamonds
De Beers’s desert diamonds have claimed the spotlight on several occasions throughout the 2026 red carpet season, and the upcoming Met Gala will likely build on that momentum. These natural diamonds from Namibia and Botswana embrace a unique palette of sophisticated neutral shades—champagne, honey, pale browns, and cognac—echoing the undertones already present in a range of skin complexions. As such, these warm, golden stones are perfectly suited to the kinds of “naked” looks described earlier, enhancing the natural glow—and sensuality—of bare shoulders, the elegant curve of a jawline, or the graceful line of a collarbone.
Desert diamonds reflect all the brilliance of traditional white diamonds, making them red-carpet ready for the 2026 Met Gala and beyond. For a sense of how glamorous it can get, consider Kate Hudson in Emily P. Wheeler’s desert diamond suite at the Actor Awards or Chase Infiniti at the 2026 Oscars, who wore the De Beers “Summer” diamond choker with a cushion-shaped yellow diamond at its center.
5. Morganite
Like desert diamonds, morganite jewelry adheres to a nude or neutral palette. The stone’s signature blush-to-peach palette naturally evokes the warm, flesh-toned hues of classical marble sculpture. Imagine a sheer gown paired with a morganite necklace or ear pendants—the gem’s pastel hue might melt into the skin or deepen to a richer, rosier hue. Recall Jennifer Lopez at the 2026 Golden Globes, who wore morganite earrings by the Indian jewelry designer Sabyasachi with an archival Jean-Louis Scherrer haute couture gown. As it happens, the sheer, body-hugging garment would have been perfect for this year’s Met Gala dress code. Maybe there’s more of this type of styling to come.
6. Forever Favorites
We can’t know for certain the actual jewelry styles or gemstones that the 2026 Met Gala’s red carpet will reveal, but we can comfortably predict that two of the event’s co-chairs—Nicole Kidman and Beyoncé—are practically guaranteed to reach for the jewelers and watch manufacturers that have historically served them well. Kidman is a longstanding brand ambassador for Omega, and wearing its timepieces has become one of her most enduring red carpet signatures. Kidman’s most recent Omega moments have leaned into the brand’s archival bejeweled timepieces. For example, at the 2026 Oscars, she wore a vintage Omega Sapphette from 1966, a diamond-set bracelet watch that highlighted the delicate tilt of her wrist.
As for Beyoncé, she will almost certainly look to her friend Lorraine Schwartz for the perfect suite of statement pieces. The celebrated jeweler has described the multi-hyphenate as her “muse,” and the synergies between the two tend to surface at major events that necessitate jewelry with stadium-level visibility—and exceptional volume. One can only imagine what Schwartz is conjuring up for the 2026 Met Gala, given the show-stopping jewels that Beyoncé has donned for other high-profile events. But you bet on this: The scale of the jewels—and the carat weight of their featured colored gemstones or diamonds—will be off the charts.