Jewelers would still like to stick Sharon Stone with an ice-pick because of her 1993 dispute with Harry Winston over a diamond necklace.
Stone claimed the necklace was a promotional gift. Winston claimed it was a loaner, and eventually got it back.
But the practice of loaning jewels to actresses for black-tie awards shows was changed forever.
“Insurance premiums went up, and so did security,” said one insider. “Jewelers want to strangle her.”
Now, security men shadow big-ticket baubles and follow stars back to hotels to retrieve the jewels at the end of the night.
“She did force everyone to tighten up the rules,” said another jewelry exec. “Protocol has changed.”