We often are intrigued – as many people seem to be – by the types of jewelry and engagement rings that celebrities are choosing. It is also generally fascinating to see jewelry items that we might not be able to afford ourselves but can enjoy from afar, marveling at the size, beauty, craftsmanship, and lavish decadence of some of the pieces. We’re going to look at “unforgettable bling” from each of those two categories:
- 5 famous engagement rings featured on the blog of wedding planning site The Knot;
- descriptions of some of the most expensive jewelry pieces in the world from a 2013 report in luxury lifestyle blog TheRichest.
5 famous engagement rings
Every time a mega-celebrity gets married, many women can’t wait to get a look at the engagement ring. Never was this more evident than in 2012, when a “battle” emerged between the engagement rings of Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie in the pop-culture press, such as a piece in Us Weekly allowing us to compare their rings and pick our favorite.
The truth is, Aniston and Jolie both had spectacular rings. Jennifer Aniston’s ring featured a radiant cut center diamond of about 8 carats, which jewelry designer Peter Meksian estimated at $500,000, assuming that the stone is top-echelon quality.
At approximately the same time Aniston showed off her ring to the press, her first husband Brad Pitt was giving a ring to his second wife, Angelina Jolie. Jolie’s diamond engagement ring was emerald-cut and tablet-shaped; approximately 16 carats; and believed to be worth approximately $500,000 as well.
Although both of these rings were extraordinary and deserve much of the attention they received, the real allure of the two rings was who was wearing them – not the rings themselves. Let’s look at the 5 most famous, trendsetting celebrity engagement rings of all time, as curated by The Knot:
1. Rose gold – Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes
Many celebrity news fans remember the Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise engagement by the place in which the proposal occurred – the top of the Eiffel Tower – and the fame of the couple. However, the engagement ring setting chosen by Cruise was the real star of the show: according to TheRichest, the rose gold setting chosen for the truly stunning ring made it look like an antique and “has since inspired countless engagement ring designs.”
2. Stackable rings – Audrey Hepburn & Mel Ferrer
You may wonder how and when stackable rings became a popular fashion concept. Audrey Hepburn had much to do with its rise to prominence. In 1954, she received two wedding bands from Mel Ferrer – one that was white and the other rose gold – so she could choose one or the other to suit different types of clothing and events.
3. Emerald ring – Jacqueline Kennedy & John F. Kennedy
Jackie O was considered one of the most glamorous and fashionable women of her time: she was expected to set trends and her high-class lifestyle gave her access to jewelry and outfits that most of us can only dream to own. When Jacqueline Kennedy became engaged to JFK, she was given an emerald in the solitaire position, surrounded by 2.88 carats of diamonds.
4. Oversize diamond ring – Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton
Elizabeth Taylor received an extraordinarily ostentatious diamond ring from her sixth husband (of eight!), Richard Burton. Much of the reason that this ring was so compelling was due to the tumultuous nature of the relationship between Burton and Taylor.
According to the UK’s Daily Mail, Burton was known in Hollywood as a womanizer incapable of fidelity and a violent drunk, and his relationship with Taylor stayed true to that characterization. The ring was big and bold, but the passionate, complicated, and unhealthy relationship between the couple made their lives controversial – giving their ring additional emblematic significance.
Another noteworthy aspect of the ring is that the way it was designed was rooted in jewelry history. The Burton/Taylor diamond was Asscher-cut, a cut developed in 1902 by the Royal Asscher Diamond Company. Royal Asscher was a highly renowned family business founded in 1854 and entrusted to cut two of the most famous diamonds ever discovered, Excelsior and Cullinan.
Note: We greatly appreciate the history of diamond cutting, offering two dozen Asscher -inspired rings in our collection.
5. Baguette eternity band – Marilyn Monroe & Joe DiMaggio
It must have been difficult for Joe DiMaggio to figure out what the best style of ring was for Marilyn Monroe, who of course was such an iconic feminine figure. The famed baseball player opted for a baguette-cut diamond eternity band, which The Knot praises for the timeless intrigue of its “understated elegance.”
We will continue this article in Part II, which will focus on the most expensive jewelry pieces as compiled by TheRichest. If you are interested in engagement rings that are made of the highest quality cubic zirconia, expertly imitating the look and feel of a real diamond, explore our catalog of hand-cut and hand-polished creations today.
Go to “Unforgettable Bling: Most Expensive Jewelry” (Part II) >>>
By Kent Roberts