Mastering Luxury Styling with Colored Gemstones: Five Tips from Fashion Experts

Colorful jewelry can uplift the wearer’s mood and appearance in a flash. An emotional connection is often why LEIBISH collectors wear emerald rings, sapphire earrings, or ruby necklaces. As Vaanita Oakey, a celebrated Fashion Director, Stylist, and Creative Consultant, points out, “When working with beautiful colored gemstones, it’s a gut feeling to see which one ideally works best with each look. Every gemstone has its own beautiful energy, which draws you in.”

Blue Sapphire and Fancy Intense Yellow Marquise Couture Diamond Earrings

However, to achieve a luxurious look, some thought needs to be put into stylishly combining the vibrant gemstones. Here, Vaanita, who lives in the UK, and Mimi Lombardo, a Fashion Stylist, Luxury Fashion Stylist, and Editor based in New York, share their best tips for making your colored gemstones your most elegant assets.


Use Colored Gemstones to Tell Your Style Story

Vaanita says it's wise to consider the balance and harmony between colors, textures, silhouettes, and the style you want to portray when selecting jewelry to wear with luxury styles. The narrative you aim for — whether sleek, contemporary, traditional, or maximalist (think strong geometrics) — will direct how you curate your colored gemstones.
Vaanita recommends wearing a single-stone pendant, diamond studs, or geometric sapphire designs with a monochrome dress for a minimalist look.


She says dramatic emerald earrings with a structured gown are an ideal match to create a glamorous Red Carpet impact. 

Let Your Gemstones Take Center Stage

A natural wonder, colored gemstones deserve to be given the full spotlight. Academy Award-winning Best Actress Mikey Madison impressed Mimi with her jewelry look at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. She wore a stunning Tiffany & Co. Céleste Ray of Light pendant with pink and red spinels and diamonds. “The necklace hits her open décolleté while her earrings are small so as not to interfere with her necklace,” Mimi notes.

To ensure your gemstones stand out, a clever trick is to match them to your skin tone and undertones. Vaanita recommends cool-toned skins opt for sapphires, aquamarines, and amethysts. As for warm undertones, rubies, citrines, and emeralds are a great option. For instance, during the same Vanity Fair event, Demi Moore wore a 1940s citrine bracelet from Boucheron Private Collection.

How to Style Colored Gemstones for Every Occasion

“The rules are the same for day and evening — keep balance and simplicity paramount,” recommends Mimi. The New Yorker says you can pair your colored gems with jeans and a T-shirt for “casual insouciance” during the day. “When you invest in emeralds or rubies, you want to show it off, so wear it daily and often,” she says.

Vaanita says statement gemstone earrings and single-stone rings are best for galas, while bold gemstone rings are perfect at cocktail parties. She recommends wedding guests wear classic pearls, sapphires, or emeralds.
The Fashion Director at House of Solo Magazine also highlights that a luxurious look depends on necklines and sleeves. “High-neck dresses pair best with statement earrings, while

strapless gowns work well with gemstone necklaces,” she says.

Balance Outfit and Jewelry for a Polished Look

Both stylists emphasize that jewelry and fashion need to complement each other.

"Think about the proportions,” says Vaanita. “They make a difference to a pulled-together style or just a thrown-together look.” Large gemstone earrings are more elegant with a bracelet or a ring than a bold necklace. A heavily embellished look calls for simple, carefully chosen jewelry.

Vanessa Williams, who plays Miranda Priestly in the musical theatrical version of The Devil Wears Prada, is a good example of how to look glamorous effortlessly. When styling Vanessa, Vaanita often pairs large gemstone earrings with a sleek gown, opting for simple rings and no necklace to keep the focus around the face.

An all-black look is a great option to offset your colored gemstones stylishly. “A sleek black dress with an open neckline can look elegant with a ruby necklace,” says Mimi. She also recommends matching the color of your look with the gemstone color, pointing out to a model at the Pamella Roland’s show during New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2025 who wore a green dress with Chopard jewelry set with emeralds. This created an impressive look. However,  avoid matching gemstone colors too precisely with your bag or shoes, warns Vaanita, as “it looks overly coordinated." She explains, “A ruby necklace with a black or nude clutch looks more sophisticated than pairing it with a red bag and shoes.”


Academy Award-winning Best Actress and Tiffany & Co. House ambassador Mikey Madison at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party wearing Blue Book 2024 jewelry, including the Tiffany Céleste Ray of Light pendant with pink and red spinels and diamonds. (Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.)
Oval Pigeon Blood Ruby and Diamond Double Halo Pendant

The Art of Layering Gemstone Jewelry

If you love gemstones, you can wear a few items together to achieve an ultra-luxury impact. "Layering pieces together is a great way to add a focal point and texture to a styling, whether it’s an elegant gown or tailored suit," says Vaanita. She recommends using gemstones

that have similar hues and tones to create a refined, elegant feeling.
“Subtle tones and similar cut stones will bring allure to the wearer rather than it being a mix of colored stones, which would make the styling look messy,” she says.

LEIBISH offers a wide range of options to create your collection of remarkable gems for the most luxurious look.