Last Updated:February 23, 2026, 19:44 IST

From brooches to ear climbers, warm-toned natural diamonds dominated the BAFTA carpet, signalling a refined shift toward character stones and quiet glamour.

Champagne and brown diamonds replaced classic whites at the BAFTAs.

Red carpets usually chase brilliance with bigger stones, brighter flashes, and louder shine. But at the British Academy Film Awards, the mood shifted. The glow felt warmer, richer, more intimate.

Instead of icy white diamonds engineered to blind the camera, a subtler story emerged. Champagne, cognac, honey and whiskey-toned stones caught the light like late-afternoon sun. They didn’t compete with couture. They completed it. Call it the rise of the Desert Diamond – a new jewellery language rooted in depth rather than dazzle.

A Collective Jewellery Moment

When multiple personalities lean into the same aesthetic on one evening, it rarely happens by accident. Gillian Anderson, Nathalie Emmanuel, Archie Madekwe, Audrey Nuna, and Regé-Jean Page each stepped out in variations of warm-toned natural diamonds – a quiet consensus that signalled the evening’s most consistent style code. Under flash photography, these stones glowed instead of glittering. The effect felt cinematic. Softer. Almost molten.

Gillian Anderson’s jewellery was a study in control: asymmetric earrings and rings that felt architectural rather than ornamental. The diamonds didn’t flood the look; they punctuated it. Emmanuel echoed the mood with elongated drop earrings and matching accents that framed her silhouette without overwhelming it. Meanwhile, Audrey Nuna took a sharper, Gen Z approach by styling ear climbers that felt directional and deliberately minimal. This was precision over excess. Jewellery as structure, not spectacle.

For decades, the diamond narrative centred on clarity and colourlessness. This season, individuality took the lead. Champagne and brown hues, often called Desert diamonds, celebrate their natural origin marks. Their warmth feels human, less clinical. Less perfect, more personal. Designers leaned into this philosophy. Brazilian house Ara Vartanian delivered striking brown-and-white combinations, while ANANYA and Hirsh London played with sculptural brooches and climbers. Even menswear entered the conversation, with brooches pinned onto tailoring – a heritage accessory reborn with edge.

The shift felt symbolic. Natural diamonds weren’t shouting for attention. They were embedded in the moment – integrated into personal style rather than performing luxury. It’s less about carats, more about character. At the BAFTAs, the most memorable sparkle didn’t blind the room. It held it.