Say I Do: Valentine’s Worthy Celebrity Engagement Rings

February 12, 2021

By Katerina Perez

5 min read

When it comes to famous engagement rings, Saint Valentine himself would fall head-over-heels for this roster of celebrity jewels. From recently engaged stars like Ariana Grande, Maria Sharapova and Gwen Stefani, to the vintage jewels of Elizabeth Taylor and Jackie Kennedy, celebrities and their partners have enviable access to high jewellers and, of course, the flexibility to choose bigger, bolder and more remarkable gems with each passing year. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, here are some engagement rings that deserve a special mention and a closer look.

It’s not just jewellery lovers who are fascinated with engagement rings. Whenever news breaks of a public figure’s engagement, images of their new left-hand accessory are splashed across Instagram, writers pen op-eds about what the ring says about their future happiness, and celebrity magazines make comparisons to others in the echelons of stardom.

Princess Diana's engagement ring is set with a 12 carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire surrounded by diamonds

Princess Diana's engagement ring is set with a 12 carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire surrounded by diamonds

 The Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine Middleton, now wears Princess Diana's sapphire and diamond engagement ring

The Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine Middleton, now wears Princess Diana's sapphire and diamond engagement ring

 Princess Diana's sapphire engagement ring was crafted by London-based jeweller, Garrard

Princess Diana's sapphire engagement ring was crafted by London-based jeweller, Garrard

This is never truer than when royalty is involved, especially the frenzy that surrounds the British monarchy. When Prince Charles proposed to Lady Diana Spencer in February 1981, there were two significant (and rebellious) characteristics of her engagement ring. Firstly, Princess Diana had chosen her 18-carat oval-shaped blue sapphire and diamond halo ring herself and, secondly, it wasn’t ‘custom-made’ but was ‘off the rack’ from Garrard. In 2010, the same ring made headlines again when Prince William presented his mother’s ring to Catherine Middleton upon their engagement. With its provenance and prestige, should this ring ever come up for auction, one might feasibly declare it “priceless”.

Meghan Markle's diamond trilogy engagement ring includes a central diamond from Botswana and two round brilliant diamonds from the collection of Princess Diana, crafted by court jeweller, Cleave & Co

Meghan Markle's diamond trilogy engagement ring includes a central diamond from Botswana and two round brilliant diamonds from the collection of Princess Diana, crafted by court jeweller, Cleave & Co

Staying on the subject of royalty, one of the most talked about rings of the decade is that of Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. Her now husband, Prince Harry, proposed in May 2018 with a graduating trilogy ring, having reportedly sourced the central diamond himself and using two stones from his late mother’s personal collection. As might be expected from the couple, who are no strangers to forging their own path in life, Meghan gave her engagement ring a makeover shortly after, replacing the yellow gold shank with a more feminine, slimmer and diamond-set alternative that better suits her personal style.

Japanese fine jewellery brand Kataoka created Emma Stone's engagement ring with an Akoya pearl and diamonds

Japanese fine jewellery brand Kataoka created Emma Stone's engagement ring with an Akoya pearl and diamonds

 Ariana Grande's engagement ring features an oval-shaped diamond and a pearl, which is thought to be recycled from a family heirloom

Ariana Grande's engagement ring features an oval-shaped diamond and a pearl, which is thought to be recycled from a family heirloom

 Model Emily Ratajkowski with her asymmetric engagement ring with one princess cut diamond and one pear-shaped diamond

Model Emily Ratajkowski with her asymmetric engagement ring with one princess cut diamond and one pear-shaped diamond

Unlike the more traditional codes of royal engagement rings, those in Hollywood take greater risks and pursue engagement rings with a difference. Both Ariana Grande and Emma Stone were presented with pearl and diamond rings, the former having an asymmetric appearance with a flawless oval-shaped diamond, set at an angle, and placed alongside a single white pearl. This trend for asymmetry has been bubbling for some time, with model Emily Ratajkowski showcasing her princess-cut and pear-shaped diamond duo in 2018. Perhaps this is the contemporary take on the traditional Moi et Toi style… the reincarnation of undoubtedly one of the most famous engagement rings of the past 100 years, Jackie Kennedy’s Van Cleef & Arpels creation. This ring was given to Jackie by John F. Kennedy in 1953 and features a 2.84 carat emerald and a 2.88 carat diamond surrounded by two diamond garlands.

Kim Kardashian's cushion-cut engagement ring was purchased to replace the 15 carat emerald-cut engagement ring stolen from her in Paris in 2016

Kim Kardashian's cushion-cut engagement ring was purchased to replace the 15 carat emerald-cut engagement ring stolen from her in Paris in 2016

Some engagement rings are recognised simply for their extraordinary size. Kanye West proposed to Kim Kardashian in October 2013 with a 15-carat D-flawless cushion-cut diamond solitaire ring by Lorraine Schwartz, reported to cost around $2 million. Similarly, Jay Z proposed to the inimitable Beyoncé with an 18-carat emerald-cut diamond solitaire, complete with a pave diamond split shank, at an approximate cost of $5 million. More recently, Gwen Stefani was the source of envy with her trilogy engagement ring, presented to her by singer Blake Shelton, which has two trapezoid diamonds heralding a princess-cut diamond centre stone.

Gwen Stefani's princess cut diamond engagement ring with two trapezoid diamond side stones

Gwen Stefani's princess cut diamond engagement ring with two trapezoid diamond side stones

 Beyoncé wears a 24 carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring with a platinum split shank created by Lorraine Schwartz

Beyoncé wears a 24 carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring with a platinum split shank created by Lorraine Schwartz

And while we are on the subject of huge diamonds, let’s not forget the 29.40 carat emerald-cut diamond given to Elizabeth Taylor by her third (of seven) husband, Mike Todd. According to rumours, Elizabeth described the ring as her “ice skating ring”. Similarly, ill-fated was the proposal made by Australian billionaire James Packer to Mariah Carey. He chose a 35-carat emerald-cut diamond, set in platinum, which was designed by Wilfredo Rosado at an estimated cost of $10 million. Sadly, the engagement only lasted nine months.

Elizabeth Taylor received this 29.4 carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring from Mike Todd in 1956

Elizabeth Taylor received this 29.4 carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring from Mike Todd in 1956

If you love emerald-cut diamonds, but your finger feels heavy at the mere thought of 35 carats, we present tennis star Maria Sharapova’s sensational ring by British designer, Jessica McCormack. With a centre stone between five and seven carats, Maria’s engagement ring perfectly highlights McCormack’s signature bezel setting accompanied by a slimline yellow gold band. It’s hardly surprising that celebrities opt for emerald-cut diamond engagement rings. After all, this particular step cut is a veritable magnifying class for inclusions and imperfections, meaning only the most flawless diamonds are given this mirror-finish makeover (especially at these significant sizes).

Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova wears a Jessica McCormack rub-over emerald-cut diamond engagement ring in yellow gold

Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova wears a Jessica McCormack rub-over emerald-cut diamond engagement ring in yellow gold

Every once in a while, though, there’s a famous celebrity engagement ring that settles outside the norm. When Scarlett Johansson got engaged to Colin Jost in 2019, she was seen sporting a unique light-brown diamond (approximately 11 carats, according to some reports) with a modified pear-shape that appears to be floating on a curved black enamel band. This minimalist design is said to resemble the work of New York-based jeweller, Taffin, although the origin of her ring has never been confirmed.

Scarlett Johansson's engagement ring is set with an 11 carat light brown diamond, thought to be crafted by James de Givenchy of Taffin

Scarlett Johansson's engagement ring is set with an 11 carat light brown diamond, thought to be crafted by James de Givenchy of Taffin

When love is in the air, celebrities have the means to declare their feelings with diamonds. There may be status in epically proportioned stones, but there’s romance in the finer details and finding the balance between the two is what will keep Saint Valentine happy.

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