In 2021, things got a little sluggish in the glamour area, with award presentations on Zoom streaming in the candidates. Red carpets and jewels were gloriously back on the celebrity circuit in the style we know and love by springtime when the in-person Grammys and Oscars finally happened.

The diamonds began to shine at events all around the world once they shined in the Los Angeles sun. With diamonds aplenty, magazine cover shots went high-gloss. The Film Festivals of Cannes and Venice had returned. There was also a lot of amazing diamond jewelry on display by singers who were releasing new music—and simply out and about in general. And, of course, there’s Tiffany & Co.’s huge “About Love” ad.

By the fall, significant movie premieres including Daniel Craig’s final Bond film, No Time to Die starring Ana de Armas, and House of Gucci, which had several openings across the world, had served up plenty of diamond looks.

All of this adds up to one of the most glitzy years in recent memory. Diamond sightings weren’t only restricted to red carpets this year. Below are some of our favorite diamond looks and the tales behind them.

1. Zendaya

At the Oscars, Zendaya wore a brilliant yellow cutout Valentino gown with $4 million in Bulgari diamond jewelry centered around a yellow diamond, setting the tone for a spectacular year.

2. Lady Gaga

Any of Lady Gaga’s ensembles for House of Gucci’s foreign premieres might have made this list since they all included stunning diamond jewelry. Her look for the Los Angeles premiere, on the other hand, is a cut above the rest.

3. Rihanna

Rihanna is the only woman who wears diamonds with such attitude, as she demonstrated (once again) at the Met Gala. With her completely unexpected costume, Rihanna physically and figuratively shut down the carpet as the last star to arrive.

4. Ana de Armas

One of the most enjoyable aspects of 2021 was finally viewing all of the films that had been delayed due to the epidemic. Ana de Armas wears more diamond jewelry than any other female in the series in No Time to Die, Daniel Craig’s final Bond film. In any Bond, not just Daniel Craig’s, but any Bond ever.