- Nov 6, 2023
I’m so excited to write about Lorraine Schwartz! She is another name that I hear dropped on the red carpet ALL. THE. TIME. Unlike Harry Winston and Neil Lane, who were the first in their family to be part of the jewelry industry, Lorraine is a third generation diamond dealer.
But when she took over the family business, she made some changes. First off, she renamed it Lorraine Schwartz Diamonds & Fine Jewelry (go girl!). And second, she starting designing pieces for herself that she couldn’t find anywhere.
Love from Beyonce
I first heard of Lorraine back when Beyonce came out with her “Single Ladies” video. (For those of you doing the math, that was back in 2008.) Guess who made that super futuristic glove? That’s right, it was Lorraine!
<img class="size-full wp-image-5585 lazyload" src="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/beyonce-ring-gif.gif" alt="Beyonce with her glove in Single Ladies" width="500" height="419"> Beyonce with her glove in Single Ladies
But that wasn’t the last time she collaborated with Queen Bey. The massive diamond and titanium earrings that Bey wore to the Grammys last fall got a TON of attention! Beyonce wanted something empowering and strong, something she could wear with confidence and still be feminine.
<img class=" wp-image-5587 lazyload" src="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/29rwi2p0Dnlc_1280x1280_KaMXZQjO.jpg" alt="Beyonce at the 2018 Grammys" width="500" height="500" srcset="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/29rwi2p0Dnlc_1280x1280_KaMXZQjO.jpg 1080w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/29rwi2p0Dnlc_1280x1280_KaMXZQjO-150x150.jpg 150w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/29rwi2p0Dnlc_1280x1280_KaMXZQjO-300x300.jpg 300w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/29rwi2p0Dnlc_1280x1280_KaMXZQjO-768x768.jpg 768w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/29rwi2p0Dnlc_1280x1280_KaMXZQjO-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/29rwi2p0Dnlc_1280x1280_KaMXZQjO-610x610.jpg 610w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /> Beyonce at the 2018 Grammys
I love the look! I just hope the earrings weren’t too heavy. Because they are HUGE!
Dealer to Designer
Nowadays, Lorraine has tons of famous, loyal friends who love her designs. Her Against Evil Eye collection is just one example. Worn by the Kardashians, Blake Lively, Beyonce, Rita Ora, and Pharrell, the pieces are for men or women, and meant to to be layered. Lorraine had always wanted an evil eye made out of real diamonds and topaz. She couldn’t find one that wasn’t made from fake stones or glass and turquoise. So she made some for herself. An inexpensive bangle bracelet will only set you back about $6,000! Naomi Campbell was her first customer. She saw Lorraine wearing one and insisted on having her own the very next day!
<img class=" wp-image-5577 lazyload" src="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/AgainstAllEvil.jpg" alt="Rita Ora, Julianne Hough, and Alessandra Ambrosio wear pieces from Lorraine's Against All Evil collection. " width="535" height="535" srcset="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/AgainstAllEvil.jpg 800w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/AgainstAllEvil-150x150.jpg 150w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/AgainstAllEvil-300x300.jpg 300w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/AgainstAllEvil-768x768.jpg 768w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/AgainstAllEvil-610x610.jpg 610w" sizes="(max-width: 535px) 100vw, 535px" /> Rita Ora, Julianne Hough, and Alessandra Ambrosio wear pieces from Lorraine’s Against All Evil collection (images courtesy of Women’s Wear Daily).
Lorraine had moved away from conservative fine jewelry designs back in the early 2000’s. She started doing things that had more color, pieces with attitude and style. She says she “started to make things that I would personally like.” Lorraine must have exceptionally good taste, because her designs took off!
Engagement Ring Guru
Schwartz has become the go-to Hollywood designer for engagement rings, but she says that was completely by accident! Her first celebrity was the supermodel Iman. Lorraine ended up selling her a 10 carat canary diamond, and then making her the engagement ring. She’s now designed rings for Lady Gaga, Blake Lively, Beyonce, Kim Kardashian West, and Bar Rafaeli.
<img class=" wp-image-5597 lazyload" src="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LSengRings.jpg" alt="Engagement rings designed by Lorraine Schwartz for Blake Lively (top) and Lady Gage (bottom)" width="600" height="600" srcset="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LSengRings.jpg 800w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LSengRings-150x150.jpg 150w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LSengRings-300x300.jpg 300w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LSengRings-768x768.jpg 768w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LSengRings-610x610.jpg 610w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /> Engagement rings designed by Lorraine Schwartz for Blake Lively (top) and Lady Gage (bottom)
Favorite moments from the red carpet
Lorraine loves helping her friends pick just the right piece to complete their look on the red carpet.
When Angelina Jolie wowed everyone at the 2009 Academy Awards, it was because of her incredible emerald earrings from Lorraine. Worth $2 million, the earrings were over 100 carats! And at last year’s Golden Globes, it was Zoe Kravitz that stunned everyone with her Colombian emerald earrings from Lorraine. They were over 120 carats with black jade along the bottom. Divine!
<img class=" wp-image-5584 lazyload" src="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LS_emeraldearrings.jpg" alt="Angelina Jolie and Zoe Kravitz wearing emerald earrings from Lorraine Schwartz" width="667" height="500" srcset="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LS_emeraldearrings.jpg 800w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LS_emeraldearrings-300x225.jpg 300w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LS_emeraldearrings-768x576.jpg 768w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LS_emeraldearrings-610x458.jpg 610w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LS_emeraldearrings-510x382.jpg 510w" sizes="(max-width: 667px) 100vw, 667px" /> Angelina Jolie and Zoe Kravitz wearing emerald earrings from Lorraine Schwartz
Unlike other brands, Lorraine never pays celebrities to wear her jewelry. She doesn’t have to! They come to her, they buy her designs, and they end up being extremely loyal. Besides the celebrities I’ve already mentioned, loyal clients of Lorraine include Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, Andra Day, Sandra Bullock, Octavia Spencer, Molly Sims, and Sarah Hyland.
If you want to get some Lorraine Schwartz for yourself, or just see what all the fuss is about, she now sells her designs at Bergdorf Goodman in New York. Make sure to have your thousands of dollars ready!