Celebrities, they’re just like us. Or are they? While some of us (A.K.A, the plebeians) spend months and years saving up for an engagement ring, the lucky minority are able to drop millions on a single piece of jewellery. Oh, to be rich and famous.
While some of these relationships have since ended, diamonds truly are forever and will live on for the years to come. These famous brides have rocked diamonds worth more than most of us will ever earn in our lifetime.
Blake Lively – $2 million (over R29 million)
One of Hollywood’s favourite couples makes it onto the list with Lively’s 12-carat, $2 million engagement ring. The ring was designed by Lorraine Schwartz and features an oval-cut stone in a diamond-accented, rose-gold setting.
“My most treasured possession is my engagement ring made by my dear friend Lorraine Schwartz, because of the love and meaning it symbolises,” Lively said in an interview. “No, I didn’t have any hand in its design – I married a gentleman.”
Anna Kournikova – $2.5 million (over R37 million)
When Enrique Iglesias popped the big question to tennis star Anna Kournikova back in 2009, he did so with an expensive 11-carat sparkler that set him back $2.5 million. The pair, who met in 2001 on set of Iglesias’s Escape music video, are notoriously private about their relationship.
Despite getting engaged a decade ago, the couple are in no rush to the altar. Both do not believe that marriage will make a big change in their relationship. In 2018, they welcomed twins Nicholas and Lucy.
Jacqueline Kennedy O’Nassis – $2.59 million (over R38 million)
Forever the style icon, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is mostly remembered for being one of America’s favourite First Ladies. However, it is her second engagement ring that truly went down in history.
Five years after JFK’s assassination, Jacqueline found love again with mogul Aristotle Onassis. The Greek shipping magnate proposed to the former First Lady with a 40-carat Marquise-cut Lesotho III diamond ring from Harry Winston. The ring was so valuable that Onassis only wore it twice before leaving it in a bank vault for safe-keeping.
After her passing in 1996, the ring was auctioned off and fetched a price of $2.59 million.
Grace Kelly – $4-million (over R49 million)
When Grace Kelly became royalty, she needed a stunning diamond ring to prove it. Prince Rainer III of Monaco proposed to the iconic actress with a stunning 10.4-carat, emerald-cut diamond flanked by two baguettes set in platinum. It is estimated to have cost $4-million (R49.36 million).
She wore the Cartier ring in her final film High Society, which iconised it as one of the most famous engagement rings in history. At their royal wedding, she paired the sparkler with a delicate eternity band set with rubies and diamonds for the colours of Monaco.
Jennifer Lopez – between $1 million and $4.5 million (over R66 million)
Her love don’t cost a thing but an expensive ring won’t hurt. J-Lo has had not one, not two, but three engagement rings over the value of $1 million.
The first notable one, a 6.1-carat pink diamond solitaire Harry Winston ring, came from her third fiancé Ben Affleck and is estimated to have cost between $1.2 and $2.5 million. Following the end of this relationship, she became engaged to Marc Anthony, who proposed with a 8.5-carat blue diamond Harry Winston engagement ring estimated to have cost $4 million.
Most recently, baseball superstar Alex Rodrigues asked for Jennifer’s hand in marriage with an enormous 16-carat diamond ring. Ajay Anand, CEO of Rare Carat, has estimated to cost around $4.5 million. However, other jewellers give a wide range, stating the ring costs somewhere between $1 million and $4.5 million.
Kim Kardashian – $4 million (over R59 million)
Love them or hate them, there is no arguing that Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West will go down in history as one of the most iconic celebrity couples. West proposed to the social media star with a 15-carat cushion-cut diamond engagement ring that is estimated to have cost a casual $4 million. Seriously.
Never one to be outdone, in 2016 Kanye gifted Kim with a 20-carat emerald cut diamond ring for her to wear on her other hand. The second ring was reportedly stolen during an armed robbery in Paris.
Beyonce – $5 million (over R74 million)
Only the best for Queen B. While we know little about this notoriously private couple’s wedding, we can say that Jay-Z presented Beyonce with a 24-carat flawless emerald-cut diamond ring with a split band. The Lorraine Schwartz-designed ring is estimated to be worth a whopping $5 million.
Elizabeth Taylor – $8.8 million (over R130 million)
While she has been presented with many engagement rings in her time, Elizabeth Taylor’s most iconic one comes from Richard Burton. So iconic, in fact, that it was named after her. Burton gifted her with the ring when they remarried for the second time in 1975. Originally named the Krupp diamond, the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond is a generous 33.19 carats.
Following her death in 2011, her ring was auctioned off for $8.8m. At the time, it was the highest per-carat price ever for any colourless diamond.
Mariah Carey – $10 million (over R148 million)
Though their engagement was incredibly short lived, Mariah Carey and James Packer will go down in history for owning the most expensive celebrity engagement ring. The iconic singer’s engagement ring, gifted to her by Australian businessman James Packer, was 35-carats and has an estimated value of $10 million. Yes, you read that right.
However, the wedding was not to be. The couple split a few months after getting engaged and Carey sold the ring for $2.1 million.
Image: Instagram / Elizabeth Taylor
