Marquises and brilliants and pears, oh my!

These Cartier earrings worn by Sophia Loren at a 1970 ­Harper’s Bazaar photo shoot incorporate all three cuts of diamonds. How could just one impress next to a gorgeous face like Loren’s? Plus, blending cuts was hip. “In the late 1960s, jewelers liked to use these mixed shapes in earrings,” says gemologist Christine Webb. “You’re looking at pear shapes, marquise shapes, and some round brilliants, so you’re getting a mix of color and something they call the jagged effect.” The dangling stunners also have a hint of exoticism—like their then–36-year-old wearer, who paired them with heavy cat’s eye makeup and a sequined jumpsuit.

“Designs then were influenced by the Indian mogul motif,” says Webb. “Long pendant drop-style earrings really came back in the 1970s. They made them of emeralds and rubies and diamonds and gold. These just happened to be done in all diamonds.”