Taylor Swift’s $36,000 tourmaline earrings spotlight birthstone glamour

Taylor Swift’s $36,000 Dena Kemp bi-color tourmaline earrings did more than finish a look. They turned a birthstone into the most talked-about detail in a portrait used for Forbes’ Iconoclast 50 feature, and they showed why unusual color now feels fresher than the standard gemstone staples.

That matters because tourmaline has a richer visual range than most people expect. The Gemological Institute of America names tourmaline and opal as October’s official birthstones, and says tourmaline joined the month in 1952, while opal has a much longer birthstone history. It is also the gem for the eighth anniversary. In bi-color form, tourmaline’s color shift becomes the point: one stone can move from green to pink, or from one saturated tone to another, creating a built-in sense of movement that reads more collector than conventional.

Swift wore the earrings in a portrait shot at the iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 26, 2026, her first public outing of the year. She left with seven awards, including Best Pop Album and Artist of the Year, and the jewelry matched the moment’s star power. The rest of the look included a Wiederhoeft two-piece corseted mini-skirt set, a Nak Armstrong ear cuff, a Selim Mouzannar ring, a L’Dezen diamond ring, a Spinelli Kilcollin bracelet, and shoes from Jimmy Choo and Aquazzura. Even in that crowded mix, the tourmalines carried the sharpest identity.

Dena Kemp Jewelry, based in Beverly Hills, California, says Kemp is a GIA-certified gemologist and that her pieces are hand-designed and hand-selected so no two are the same. That is exactly the kind of provenance that gives a colored-stone earring its edge: not just price, but intention. Kemp also says she was the first woman invited to join the International Diamond Club, a detail that fits the brand’s high-jewelry positioning without making the stones feel overly formal.

For readers looking for a similar impact at a more accessible level, the lesson is clear. Look for tourmaline with distinct color zoning, a cut that keeps both tones visible, and a setting that lets the stone lead. A smaller bi-color tourmaline in a clean gold mount can deliver the same fresh, personal effect, proving that birthstones feel most modern when they look chosen rather than prescribed.