The History Behind Toi et Moi Engagement Rings

The romantic two-stone diamond engagement ring style comes in any number of new variations.

By Marion Fasel | April 22, 2025

Once upon a time, in January of 1796 to be exact, somewhere around Paris, Napoléon Bonaparte proposed to his true love Joséphine de Beauharnais. According to family descendants, he did so with a divine engagement ring composed of two pear shapes—a diamond and a sapphire—both weighing around one carat and set side-by-side. Never mind that the union ended in divorce for various reasons, the legend of the love story and the Toi et Moi ring remains.

Meet the Expert

The History Behind Toi et Moi Engagement Rings

Marion Fasel is an esteemed jewelry expert, author, curator, and trend forecaster.
She is the founder and Editorial Director of The Adventurine online jewelry magazine.
She is the author of several books, including The History of Diamond Engagement Rings: A True Romance

What Makes a Toi et Moi Ring Unique

Because French is the language of jewelry as well as love, the term Toi et Moi, which means You and Me, is never translated. Beyond that fact and the presence of two center stones in the ring, there are no absolute rules about Toi et Moi designs, although there are those who will tell you otherwise.

Vintage engraving of a Josephine de Beauharnais was the first wife of Napoleon I, and thus the first Empress of the French. (Getty Images)

Some believe the gems in the rings should touch each other to represent a couple’s union. Others say the two stones can be independent of one another yet together in the design, which is a nice metaphor for a marriage.

Famous Love Stories
Featuring the Toi et Moi Ring

Beyond Napoléon and Joséphine, there are only two other famous couples in history known for the style. In 1953, former First Lady Jackie Kennedy received a Toi et Moi ring from John Kennedy with an emerald-cut diamond and an emerald-cut emerald weighing almost 3 carats each.

And in 1966, a Toi et Moi Van Cleef & Arpels ring with a pair of cushion shaped diamonds, weighing approximately 6 carats each, was slipped on the finger of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark by her French diplomat lover Henri de Laborde de Monpezat.

The Modern Resurgence of the
Toi et Moi Ring

In the 21^st century, Toi et Moi engagement rings have gained momentum. Two celebrity couples chose Toi et Moi rings within the last year. They both feature mismatched stones in the setting which is a popular spin on the style. Robert Pattinson gave Suki Waterhouse a pear-shaped diamond and a square pale pastel colored gem (which could be a diamond) on a diamond set band. And White Lotus star Patrick Schwarzenegger gave his longtime love Abby Champion a Toi et Moi ring with a round diamond and a pear-shaped diamond bezel set (without prongs) in a gold ring.

JFK and Jackie Kennedy — Washington, D. C.: John F. Kennedy with wife, Jacqueline, during a visit from Prince Rainier and Princess Grace.

Endless Possibilities with the
Toi et Moi Ring

The happy ending to this fairy tale-like engagement ring story is that today many designers make Toi et Moi engagement rings and there are innumerable variations to choose from. There are designs with two stones on two slender connected bands, and bold rings with two gems plunged in the precious metal. Rings with pairs of gems and mismatched shapes can be found. There are also styles with a natural diamond and a sapphire echoing the famous French love story of Napoléon and Joséphine.