< Engagement Rings & Weddings / Celebrity
The 11 Most Memorable Diamond Engagement Rings in Movies
Get comfy and cue the nostalgia: we’re revisiting engagement rings in movies so unforgettable, they practically deserve their own holiday special.
Rachel McAdams wears an emerald-cut diamond engagement ring as Allie Hamilton in The Notebook, 2004. (© 2004 New Line Cinema Productions. All rights reserved.)
Diamond engagement rings in movies have a way of making even the best feel-good rom-coms feel better. Whether the ring gets hilariously stuck on another woman’s finger, or it’s the right ring offered by the wrong man, some of cinema’s most iconic scenes owe their drama—and their charm—to a well-timed diamond appearance.
Diamonds have an unrivaled ability to set the scene. Who could forget when Allie flashes her new engagement ring to Noah in The Notebook? Or when Andrew shuts down an entire Tiffany & Co. boutique to propose to Melanie in Sweet Home Alabama?
Meet the Expert
- Pierre Rainero is Cartier’s Image, Style, and Heritage Director, and has held the prestigious title for over two decades.
- Rainero has been tasked with preserving the legendary jeweler’s visual and artistic identity while ensuring its enduring relevance. He serves as a guardian of the brand, connecting Cartier’s revered history with its creative present.
As the temperature drops and the holiday season inches closer, there’s no better time to crank up the heat, curl under a cozy blanket, and binge your favorite films—just don’t forget to keep an eye out for the most unforgettable engagement rings in movie history. Ahead, we look back at 11 of the most mesmerizing natural diamond engagement rings ever to grace the big screen.
Katharine Hepburn’s Diamond Engagement Ring in The Philadelphia Story (1940)
In the 1940 comedy The Philadelphia Story—one of the earliest showcases of diamond engagement rings in movies—Katharine Hepburn stars as Philadelphia socialite Tracy Lord. Throughout the film, she wears a stunning emerald-cut diamond engagement ring by Verdura. At the time, loaning real jewels to film productions was virtually unheard of—MGM usually relied on paste replicas—but it’s believed that either Hepburn or costume designer Adrian personally reached out to Duke Fulco di Verdura for the special request. The sleek, platinum-set solitaire not only reflected Verdura’s signature modernism but also marked one of the jeweler’s earliest high-profile Hollywood moments, just a year after opening his New York salon in 1939.
Grace Kelly’s Diamond Engagement Ring in High Society (1956)
On the eve of her royal wedding to Prince Rainier III of Monaco, Grace Kelly appeared in her final film, High Society—a glamorous farewell to Hollywood before she traded the silver screen for palace life.
Starring alongside Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby in the remake of The Philadelphia Story, Kelly had a dazzling co-star of her own: her Cartier diamond engagement ring, one of the most iconic engagement rings in movies. The jewel featured a 10.48-carat emerald-cut diamond flanked by tapered baguettes. Playing Tracy Samantha Lord, a socialite torn between three suitors, Kelly’s new sparkler even earned its own line of dialogue. Admiring the ring, her ex-husband quips, “That’s quite a rock, Sam.” To her fiancé, he adds, “Some stone, George. Did you mine it yourself?”
In another memorable scene, Kelly is seen lying on her bed, polishing the 10.48-carat diamond with the corner of a silk sheet before leaning back to admire it on her finger.
Cartier’s Image, Style, and Heritage Director, Pierre Rainero, tells Only Natural Diamonds, “Cartier provided several jewelry pieces for the marriage of Rainier III and Grace Kelly, starting with the engagement ring. Crafted in 1956, it is made of a platinum band and features an impressive 10.48-carat emerald-cut diamond framed by two baguette-cut diamonds, in an arrangement emblematic of Cartier. Unwilling to remove the ring, Grace Kelly wore it in her last film, High Society, giving it a full-fledged role.”
Barbara Streisand’s Diamond Engagement Ring in Funny Girl (1968)
Barbara Streisand became known throughout her career for weaving her personal jewelry collection—comprised largely of antique and vintage treasures—into her on-screen wardrobe. For her star-making role in the 1968 musical Funny Girl, she hand-selected Edwardian and Art Deco pieces that perfectly reflected the early 1900s setting, contributing to one of the standout engagement rings in movies from the era.
In the film’s emotional finale, during her performance of ‘My Man’, Streisand’s Fanny Brice wears a glittering Edwardian-style diamond engagement ring, adding both authenticity and sentiment to the scene. Many of the jewels she wore were acquired from New York’s famed Fred Leighton boutique, a go-to source for antique gems. Unlike many actresses who relied on loaned pieces, Streisand was reported to have purchased much of her jewelry herself, and several of the Funny Girl pieces remain part of her personal collection today—a testament to her discerning eye and passion for historic design.
While playing the real-life comedienne and legendary Ziegfeld Follies Broadway star, Streisand sarcastically quipped, “There’s nothing like an, uh, simple wedding band.”
Mia Farrow’s Diamond Engagement Ring in The Great Gatsby (1974)
In the 1974 film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Mia Farrow embodied the glittering Jazz Age as Daisy Buchanan, the wealthy socialite at the heart of the story. To capture the opulence of the Roaring Twenties, she was adorned with Cartier’s Art Deco creations, including a dramatic marquise-shaped diamond engagement ring, paired with a diamond wedding band, a combination that became one of the film’s most iconic images—and one of our favorite examples of vintage engagement rings in movies.
The film reflected, not only the diamond cut’s impact on the Art Deco era, but the marquise’s popularity in the 1970s. According to jewelry historian Marion Fasel, a client walked into Cartier in New York shortly after the film was released, and said, “I want Daisy’s ring.”
Cameron Diaz’s Diamond Engagement Ring in My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
Everyone remembers the anxiety and secondhand embarrassment watching Julia Roberts, as Jules, desperately try to yank Kim’s (Cameron Diaz) stuck diamond engagement ring off her finger in the 1997 rom-com, My Best Friend’s Wedding. It’s one of the most unforgettable scenes of engagement rings in movies, and for good reason: The classic round, channel-set diamond with a micropavé band became one of the most popular engagement ring styles of the late 1990s as a result of the film.
Reese Witherspoon’s Diamond Engagement Ring in Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
Sweet Home Alabama definately takes the cake when it comes to the most iconic movie proposals. In one of the most memorable engagement rings in movies moments, Andrew (Patrick Dempsey) pops the question to Melanie (Reese Witherspoon) on the showroom floor of Tiffany & Co. in New York City. Closed to the public, the lights turn on in the dark boutique, and a team of client advisors stands ready as he famously tells his fiancée-to-be to “pick one.”
She picks out a round brilliant solitaire diamond engagement ring with a classic Tiffany’s setting. Surprisingly, the memorable scene is said to have been inspired by director Andy Tennant’s real life. His wife’s ex-boyfriend proposed in a similar manner at a Tiffany’s store. She said it was “the perfect proposal, but the wrong guy.”
Rachel McAdams’ Engagement Ring in The Notebook (2004)
I think it’s safe to say we were all a little broken-hearted when Allie (Rachel McAdams) accepts her boyfriend Lon’s (James Marsden) proposal in the 2004 Nicholas Sparks adaptation, The Notebook. Among the most poignant engagement rings in movies, Lon pops the question with a huge emerald-cut diamond engagement ring, flanked with baguette diamonds in a sterling silver box which was customary of luxury jewelers in the time period of the Roaring Twenties. Thankfully, Allie finds her way back to her first love, Noah (Ryan Gosling). While it may have been the right ring, its just wasn’t the right guy.
Sarah Jessica Parker’s Black Diamond Engagement Ring in Sex and the City 2 (2010)
In the 2010 Sex and the City cinematic sequel, Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big are already married (after that disastrous first attempt in the first film). But after a fight, Big gifts Carrie with one of the most unique engagement rings in movies: a long-overdue 5-carat natural black diamond ring in one of the final scenes of the movie. When she asks him, “Why’d you get a black diamond?” Big replies, “Because you’re not like anyone else.” She quips, “That’s a relief. I thought you were gonna say it’s the color of my soul.”
While production was on the hunt for black diamond rings, jewelry designer Itay Malkin anonymously submitted two options for consideration. Sarah Jessica Parker and writer/director, Michael Patrick King chose his design over 20 other big-time jewelry designers. Malkin collaborated closely with Parker and costume designer Patricia Field to refine the final design: a 5-carat round-cut black diamond set in 18-karat white gold, accented with a hidden halo of 78 pavé-set natural white diamonds totaling 0.43 carats. The result was an engagement ring as unconventional and unforgettable as Carrie herself—one that remains a standout among iconic engagement rings in movies.
Carey Mulligan’s Tiffany & Co. Diamond Jewelry in The Great Gatsby (2013)
In 2013, Baz Luhrmann reimagined F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby in a dazzling, high-octane spectacle, with Carey Mulligan stepping into the role of the elusive Daisy Buchanan. To capture the opulence of the Jazz Age, Luhrmann and costume designer Catherine Martin partnered with Tiffany & Co., the very jeweler Fitzgerald himself was known to frequent. Tiffany created an array of custom jewels that channeled 1920s glamour for the film, including a cushion-cut diamond halo engagement ring in platinum, valued at a cool $3.9 million—one of the most lavish engagement rings in movies. The collaboration not only brought Fitzgerald’s world of excess vividly to life but also reaffirmed Tiffany’s place as the ultimate emblem of Jazz Age elegance.
Cate Blanchett’s Diamond Engagement Ring in Blue Jasmine (2013)
In the 2013 film Blue Jasmine, Cate Blanchett stars as Jasmine, the rich Manhattan socialite struggling through a tumultuous marriage with her wealthy businessman husband, Hal (Alec Baldwin). To complete her image as a glamorous Upper East Side woman, costume designer Suzy Benzinger styled Blanchett in Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Hermès. Apart from a Cartier watch, all of her jewels were sourced from Fred Leighton in New York, including her massive emerald-cut diamond engagement ring—one of the more quietly striking engagement rings in movies. Fun fact: Her diamonds were so valuable, Blanchett was required to have an armed bodyguard on set with her at all times.
Kristen Stewart’s Mouawad Diamond Jewelry in Spencer (2021)
Pablo Larraín’s 2021 biopic Spencer stars Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, wearing diamond jewelry designs that replicate Diana’s most famous royal jewels, all crafted by Mouawad.
Her sapphire and diamond engagement ring, her statement diamond necklaces, and more are featured throughout the film. “Mouawad has an illustrious heritage in jewelry and watchmaking, and over the decades has been the choice for royalty and celebrities when seeking a unique statement piece or set of jewelry,” said Mouawad co-guardians, Fred, Alain, and Pascal Mouawad. “It has been a pleasure to work on Spencer, providing the jewelry for the role of an iconic princess known for her style as well as her powerful impact on the world.”
Mouawad’s rendition of Diana’s iconic engagement ring features 1.82 carats of diamonds and 7.25 carats of sapphire. Princess Diana personally picked her sapphire and diamond cluster ring upon her engagement to King Charles III in 1981. Set with a 12-carat Ceylon sapphire, the original Garrard jewel is surrounded by a sumptuous halo of 14 solitaire diamonds. After Diana’s death, her son Prince William proposed to Catherine, Princess of Wales, with his late mother’s engagement ring in October 2010 during a visit to Kenya. It remains one of the most famous engagement rings in movies and real life.
“Mouawad was a natural choice to be the movie’s exclusive jewelry sponsor based on its 131 years of heritage of craftsmanship in fine jewelry and watchmaking, and its renown as the jeweler of choice to royalty and to celebrities across the world,” said a spokesperson for the brand. “The aim was to portray Princess Diana’s classic style and effortless elegance while adorning her with jewelry that was historically accurate and would have been similar to what she had worn at the time. What the choice of jewelry shows is that her style and that of classic jewelry transcends time.”
