Ah, love. It’s all candlelit dinners, strolls in the park, and ultimately, a sparkler of a diamond ring – the most iconic symbol of all. While most mere mortals are over the moon for their engagement rings, typically a modest 0.50 – 1.00 carats, its always fun to stargaze and see how the rich and famous measure up. Rocks the size of boulders are evident, sure, but stone clarity, cut and how the ring is set also determine value. Here’s the top ten most expensive answers to the world’s most romantic question: “will you marry me?”
10. Nicole Kidman – $45 000 Cartier design, from Keith Urban
This unique dazzler features three rows of small round brilliant centre diamonds and matches perfectly with the pairs’ Cartier eternity wedding bands.
9. Kate Moss – $80 000 vintage design, from Jamie Hince
The superstar Moss, in typical fashion, wanted something distinguished and beautiful. Hince tried to hunt down the ring her favourite author, F. Scott Fitzgerald gave to his wife Zelda, but couldn’t. In its place was a stunning 20’s style ring that was designed from the original sketches of Zelda’s.
8. Jessica Simpson – $100 000 Neil Lane design, from Eric Johnson
Neil Lane, famed jeweller to the stars, created a special and very unique ring for Eric to give to Jessica as they plan their wedding. A 5-carat centre ruby jewel represents true love and romance, while the two diamonds flanked on either side just show good taste.
7. Angelina Jolie – $250 000 Robert Procop design, from Brad Pitt
Taking a rumoured year to design, this ring has some serious sparkle. The centre rectangular diamond is surrounded by custom shaped diamonds, “specially cut to encircle her finger. Each diamond is of the highest gem quality,” quotes Procop.
6. Jennifer Aniston – $500 000 unknown designer, from Justin Theroux
The massive 8.5-carat radiant cut centre diamond, set on a yellow gold band is yes, a little ostentatious, but their love seems to sparkle as much as the giant stone, so its lovely, not tacky. Notably, the sparkler’s worth double what Jolie’s ring was.
5. Katherine Zeta Jones – $1 million Fred Leighton design, from Michael Douglas
Douglas was clearly on to something good when he proposed to Zeta Jones with a colossal 10-carat marquise cut diamond engagement ring. Set in an east-west orientation, the diamond looks long on the finger, just like their lasting love.
4. Melania Knauss – $2 million Graff design, from Donald Trump
Billionaire Trump proposed to the former model with a gigantic 12-carat emerald cut ring set in platinum and flanked by two baguette diamonds. In similar over the top fashion, the bride walked down the aisle in a $200 000 Christian Dior original gown that’s 300 feet of satin and 13-foot train weighed in at 60 pounds.
3. Paris Hilton, $4.7 million privately designed, from Paris Latsis
Ms. Hilton, you must be worth a million bucks. Actually, make that 4.7. The 24-carat emerald cut canary diamond ex-fiancé Paris Latsis proposed with was even too big for the star known for her love of bling; she traded it in for a more modest Cartier design before the two split.
2. Beyoncé – $5 million Lorraine Schwartz design, from Jay-Z
The simplicity of the design allows for the gargantuan 18-carat emerald cut whopper of a diamond to still look tasteful; it is simply set solo on a slim forked band.
1. Elizabeth Taylor, $8.8 million Krupp design, from Richard Burton
The original, untouchable and most iconic diamond ring in the world, Taylor’s asscher-cut 33.19 carat not only boasts the heaviest stone by far, but it also has the most clarity – it’s a certified Type 11a diamond, which is the most chemically pure, giving it exceptional optical transparency and sparkle. Less than 1% of the diamonds in the world get this certification, so although this ring tops the price list, its practically priceless.
