Diamonds At The Baftas

Published on 22/02/10

When Bafta hopeful Carey Mulligan strides on to the red carpet tonight, top jewellers will be holding their breath.

For the lucky brand, the patronage of such a rising star is of inestimable value. And this year more than ever the jewellery industry is looking for help from the awards season as it seeks to recover from the recession.

Will 24-year-old Mulligan, poised to claim best actress for An Education, have been seduced by Chopard, whose high-carat wares have complemented the high-wattage smiles of the past three winners, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard and Helen Mirren?

She may play safe, sticking with US jeweller Fred Leighton, whose swallow-cuff bracelet and riviere necklace, worn in idiosyncratic fashion as a headband, won her the unofficial "diamond show-stopping moment" award at the Golden Globes. Or she could yet be tempted by other leading names who battle, each year, to ensure their flawless gems accentuate the flawless maquillage of a female Bafta celebrity.

Hopes are that, as Hollywood's best dazzle through to the Oscars, diamonds will be back on the shopping list.

Plunging demand pushed De Beers, the world's largest diamond producer, into the red last year. In Antwerp, diamond capital of the world, staff were laid off. Retailers have suffered globally.

In the good years it was estimated the awards season could generate up to £16bn in worldwide sales. So, getting the brand up there is crucial.

"There is a tremendous editorial, press and television visibility which raises brand awareness and drives sales to the boutique," said a spokeswoman for Moussaieff, a past "official jeweller" to the Baftas.

Stephen Webster, whose glam-rock-inspired designs have won fans including Harry Potter actress Emma Watson, and singers Pixie Lott and Christina Aguilera, is a major red carpet player. "It is far more important to have ­general recognition but celebrity endorsement has been the key to communication of our brand," he said.