When the World Said Yes: Celebrity Engagement Rings That Changed the Game
Natural diamond engagement rings that made headlines all over the world and redefined what forever could look like.
One of the most momentous pieces of jewellery a woman will have in her lifetime is the engagement ring. Hero stones, coloured gems, toi et moi or vintage natural diamonds—this accessory becomes a reflection of the love story it represents. When it comes to world famous people however, it’s a different ball game. As we gush in excitement over the size, style, setting and value of the ring spotted on our favourite celebrity, it becomes a cultural artefact. Think of Princess Diana’s unconventional sapphire, Alia Bhatt’s quietly luxurious oval cut diamond and most recently Taylor Swift’s mine cut jewel—each ring a marker of love redefining what forever could look like. Since the 1960s, every era has seen its emblem of love—a story we were transfixed by and a ring on the world’s most photographed fingers that symbolised it all. Here’s who made it to the top of our list.
1960s: Old Hollywood Glamour and the Birth of the Statement Solitaire
When it came to natural diamonds, Elizabeth Taylor’s philosophy was always ‘more is more’. It comes as no surprise then that her passionate love affair with Richard Burton culminated in the most dramatic of rings—a 33.19 carat Asscher-cut diamond mounted on a platinum setting. It had been cut sometime in the 20th century and classified as an extremely rare Type IIa stone (the same category as the Kohinoor). Though it was a gift and not an official engagement ring, it led to a shift in perception and rings went from being modest to public spectacles, laying the groundwork for all the celebrity proposals to come.This piece of jewellery became such a legend that it was even featured on her The Simpsons show appearance!
INSTAGRAM: @ELIZABETHTAYLOR
1980s: When Colour Became the New Classic
Princess Diana’s engagement to Prince Charles in February 1981 led to the nation rejoicing, however her choice of ring stirred quite the controversy. The iconic 12 carat oval Ceylon sapphire ring is encircled by 14 real diamonds set in white gold and was chosen by Diana herself for being reminiscent of her mother’s ring and as an ode to her own blue eyes. It was an unconventional choice at the time given that it was neither custom nor heirloom and was picked from the Garrard Royal Jewellers’ Catalogue, allowing anyone with the means to purchase the same ring as Diana herself! This choice, in some symbolic way, was her first act as the people’s princess—democratising royal luxury. Sure enough, following her engagement, there was a global surge in demand for coloured diamond rings. In a departure from the traditional, her ring was a reflection of both sentimentality and individuality. It became such an intrinsic part of her image that years after the divorce she continued wearing it. In 2011, Prince William carried on the legacy, proposing to Kate Middleton with the same ring and the world fell in love with sapphires once again.
2000s-2010s: Headline-Making Diamonds to Mark Iconic Love Stories
‘Bennifer’ fans reunite for we are going down that rabbit hole today. When one of the most loved couples of the early 2000s, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, got engaged, the world went into a frenzy. Front pages were splashed with the news and a close-up shot of that ring—a 6.1 carat radiant cut pink diamond set in a platinum band with trapezoid white diamond side stones, designed by Harry Winston. A coloured diamond had stolen the mainstream spotlight and people couldn’t get enough. Imitation rings spawned, publishing houses wouldn’t stop talking about the ring and before we knew it, it had been etched into the history books. The incredible rarity of pink diamonds makes them valuable and this ring the ultimate marker of early 2000s celebrity glamour, bold personal style, and an era-defining statement engagement ring.
The rings of the late 2000s ushered in the era of high octane glamour—the bigger the better. Beyonce’s 18 carat emerald cut natural diamond from Jay-Z set on a micro pave split shank band was designed by celebrity favourite jeweller Lorraine Schwartz. It represented everything she was—powerful, confident, unapologetic and radiating almost blinding luminance. She set the tone for women in this era—be bold and audacious with both your life and choice of diamonds. The sleek, clear cut especially declares ownership of your own narrative.
INSTAGRAM: @POPSUGAR
2010s-2020s: Vintage-Inspired and Deeply Personal—The Chapter Where Diamonds Speak
Everything about the love story of India’s most beloved stars made headlines—Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone’s wedding was an elaborate affair in Lake Como and despite the seemingly unending array of couture looks, her natural diamond engagement ring shone the brightest. Featuring a four-carat (estimate) square cut solitaire as the centerpiece, it epitomised the understated yet impactful ring. The platinum setting and geometric precision was emblematic of Deepika’s long beloved quiet-luxury style.
INSTAGRAM: @DEEPIKAPADUKONE
The ultimate desi girl had the Bollywood fairytale of our dreams. Nick Jonas famously shut down the flagship Fifth Avenue Tiffany store to pick out an engagement ring for Priyanka Chopra and off he went with a 4 carat (estimated) cushion cut beauty! The iconic Tiffany setting, evoking the romance of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, turned the proposal into a global moment, propelling Priyanka, an Indian celebrity, into international jewellery conversations.
Aditi Rao Hydari & Siddharth announced their engagement through the sweetest Instagram post—a selfie which showed off both their rings. While Siddharth’s appeared to be a gold band studded with a line of rubies and natural diamonds, it was Aditi’s toi et moi (two-stone) design that stole our hearts. It literally translates to ‘you and me’ in French and features two stones—a round cut diamond on one side and a teardrop-shaped diamond on the other, both set on a gold band. A symbol of two souls uniting as one, it fueled the two-stone engagement ring fire that had already been fanned by Ariana Grande (featuring an oval cut diamond paired with a pearl) and Megan Fox (a pear-shaped diamond and an emerald).
Ranbir Kapoor proposed to the love of his life Alia Bhatt in the middle of the jungle at the Masai Mara as their guide sneakily took pictures. Crafted by Van Cleef & Arpels the ring featured an 8 carat solitaire surrounded by eight accent diamonds to represent his lucky number. Alia later revealed that it had been engraved with the words ‘Mrs Hipster’, an acronym with special meaning for the couple, ushering in the era of personalised engagement rings—characterised by sentimentality and not just overt opulence.
From the moment Travis Kelce revealed that he had slipped his number into a friendship bracelet meant for Taylor Swift, the world was deeply invested in this unfolding love story. For it to culminate in an engagement felt like the perfect modern fairytale, like the kind Swift often sings about. 37 million eyes were on the ring as fans collectively gasped at its brilliance—an old mine cut natural diamond bezel-set in yellow gold with hand-engraving on the band. Kelce worked with Kindred Lubeck of Artifex Fine Jewelry to design the ring based on a video Swift had shown him of the designer’s work over a year and a half ago! The couple chose to shine the spotlight on a small brand versus the conventional celebrity favourite jewellers and have now heralded the era of vintage-inspired rings amid a sea of opulent oval cut diamonds.
INSTAGRAM: @TAYLORSWIFT @KILLATRAV
Beyond the sparkle, each ring is emblematic of the love story it represents. In the end, forever isn’t just a word, it’s how we choose to celebrate it—with natural diamonds. Formed over billions of years these gems have symbolised the beauty of love for generations, a reminder that true connection, like the diamond itself, never loses its shine.
