By Deborah Yonick, jewelry style expert

Oscar fashion chatter hailed statement necklaces the talk of the red carpet, with color the way to make an entrance. The most memorable looks at the 87th Annual Academy Awards involved neckwear showing bold color stones. Popular strapless, sweetheart and plunging necklines begged for colorful jewels to decorate the décolletage. Jewels with blue gems like turquoise, aquamarine, and sapphire were favorites, as well as emeralds, tourmalines, and pearls.

Among the most coveted gems of the night, topping off the perfect black dresses, were worn by Cate Blanchett in turquoise, aquamarine, and diamond platinum clustered neck collar by Tiffany & Co.; and “Focus” star Margot Robbie in Van Cleef & Arpels' “Zip” necklace with more than 300 sapphires and 150 diamonds, fashioned after one owned by the Duchess of Windsor in the 1930s.

Also sporting a stunner atop her metallic studded strapless Alberta Ferretti, Laura Dern (Best Supporting Actress nominee for “Wild”) made a bold statement with a Bvlgari High Jewelry white gold medallion necklace set with over 19 carats of sapphires and more than 2 carats of rubies. Dern also flashed a gorgeous aquamarine ring that she said was designed in memory of the character she played and to support the American Lung Association.

While Scarlett Johansson caused quite a stir in a killer emerald color Versace with over 2,000 Swarovski green crystals embroidered in a high collar neckpiece and ultra-modern ear cuff with emeralds, aquamarines, and green tourmalines in rose-gold by Piaget. And, Good Morning America anchor Lara Spencer rocked the red carpet in a hot pink gown accessorized in turquoise and gold jewels by Fred Leighton: 1960s turquoise fringe necklace, pendant earrings and ring.

An Earful

In fact, earrings remain a style staple for most A-listers on the red carpet, several of whom adorned in bold, daring Anna Hu Haute jewels like Gwenth Paltrow in gold “Fire Phoenix” earrings dropping two huge pear-shaped cabochon rubellites weighing 101 carats from two pear shaped rubellites weighing nearly 23 carats with blue, pink and purple sapphires, spinels, paraiba tourmalines, and white and yellow diamonds. And, Naomi Watts (“Birdman”) flashed a pair of modern Art Deco inspired earrings showing big oval sapphires weighing more than 50 carats, with purple sapphire and diamond accents in white gold.

There were more than a few good statement earrings spied at the Oscars, notably donning the lobes of America Ferrera in opal and turquoise drop earrings and Maya Rudolph black onyx and diamond earrings—both by Irene Neuwirth; Jennifer Hudson in emerald earrings and Rita Ora (“50 Shades of Gray”) in mixed color diamond earrings—both by Lorraine Schwartz; Kerry Washington in ombre pink sapphire and diamond pendant earrings by Fred Leighton; and Felicity Jones (Best Actress nominee for “The Theory of Everything”) in yellow, champagne and white diamond earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels.

Pearl Posture

Pearls continue to intrigue Hollywood royalty, and the Oscar's red carpet did not disappoint with stunning pearl embellished dresses and jewelry among the biggest standouts. Everyone is talking about Lupita Nyong'o custom Calvin Klein dress strung together with more than 6,000 pearls, and Felicity Jones in Alexander McQueen pearl studded ball gown.

Viola Davis also made a huge pearl statement in jewels from Van Cleef & Arpels, including a stunning pearl and diamond gold collar necklace (1973) and “Perlée” bracelet; and singer Zendaya Coleman looked regal in Chopard pearl and diamond gold earrings from its High Jewelry Collection.

Wrists & Fingers

While necklaces and earrings are typically the jewels that grab the spotlight, at closer look it's the bracelets and rings that draw you in with expressive hands in motion. Among the most eye-catching examples were spotted on singer Joanna Newsom wearing turquoise and diamond gold Irene Neuwirth ring (and cool vintage turquoise earrings too); Marion Cotillard , (Best Actress nominee for “Two Days, One Night”) flashing a 6.23-carat yellow diamond in platinum and 18K yellow gold ring from Chopard's High Jewelry Collection; and Gina Rodriguez in black onyx and diamond platinum rings by Neil Lane.

Scoring with great wrist action: Meryl Streep (Best Supporting Actress nominee for “Into the Woods”) in Art Deco onyx and diamond platinum line bracelets stacked; and Kelly Ripa layering Art Deco sapphire and diamond bangle, rose-cut sapphire gold bangle, and black diamond platinum bangles—all by Fred Leighton.

Gemmy Gents

Among some of the best dressed at this year's Oscars were the men in the house who explored different colors in tuxedo wear from lavender and gray to burgundy and navy, and embraced accessories to make their own style statements.

Among the leading men of style, Adam Levine , who sang the nominated song “Lost” from “Begin Again”, woreonyx and diamond platinum dress set by Neil Lane. And all in Fred Leighton: Common , who won with John Legend for best original song for “Glory”, wore 19th century sapphire and diamond clover brooch and dress set in white gold; Jared Leto sported Art Deco onyx and diamond buckle bar brooch and rock crystal and diamond dress set; and Chris Pine looked dapper in mother of pearl, onyx and diamond dress set.

Oscar Takeaways

• Statement necklaces reign from ornate beaded collars to big gemmy drops

• Statement earrings run the gamut from daring drops to designs like cuffs, mismatched, and double-sided

• Stackable gem-encrusted bangles and bold gem cocktail rings are style staples

• Menswear is getting more attention, especially unique lapel pins spied on a number of Oscar worthy men