An engagement ring seeks to be a physical express of the singular and profound love that leads a couple to marriage. The ring should be as unique as the couple and several celebrity brides and their grooms have chosen unconventional stones and styles as a symbol of their love. A few of those rings have become almost as famous as their owners. In your search for the perfect ring, consider these timeless beauties for inspiration.
Sapphires:
One of the most famous and unique engagement rings of the modern age was given to Lady Diana Spencer by Prince Charles. Princess Diana’s ring is an 18 carat oval sapphire fringed by 14 diamonds and cost approximately $60,000 dollars in 1981. Following her untimely death in 1997, it came into the keeping of her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. It now graces the finger of Prince William’s wife and the mother of the next heir to the throne, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Given it’s unique history, the ring has become essentially priceless.
Penelope Cruz was given a vintage version of this style by actor Javier Bardem when he proposed. Her ring is a 3 carat oval sapphire surrounded by diamonds with a yellow gold band. It cost approximately $30,000 and the center stone’s deep rich blue color makes a unique and lasting impression.
Emeralds:
The royals have long had a tradition of using stones other than diamonds for their engagement rings. One of the most scandalous royal love affairs followed suit when King Edward VIII presented American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, with a 19.77 carat emerald with the inscription, “We are ours now 27 x 36” (the 27 x 36 refers to the date he proposed).
Young Jacqueline Bouvier received a stunning 2.84 carat emerald set next to a 2.88 shimmer diamond in 1953 from her fiance, Senator John F. Kennedy. Jackie Kennedy had the ring was reset in 1962 and added 1.46 carats of marquise diamonds and .66 carats of round diamonds. The ring is now valued at 1.2 million dollars.
Hollywood royalty has been known to use emeralds to declare their love as well. When Olivier Martinez asked Paris jewelry designer, Robert Mazlo, to design the perfect ring for Halle Berry, a 5 -7 carat emerald became the ring’s centerpiece. Set in yellow gold with two diamonds on either side, the ring incorporates symbols meaningful to the couple and their love story. The ring’s estimated cost is between $100,000 and $200,000.
Rubies:
Rock royalty has been known to favor rubies for their engagement rings. Kurt Cobain presented Courtney Love with a ring comprised of 3 large Burmese rubies totaling 12 carats surrounded by 5 total carats of colorless diamonds from the House of Taylor in 1992. Stolen on Valentine’s Day in 1995, it was recovered and later sold for $63,000.
When Rolling Stone guitarist extraordinaire, Keith Richards, wanted to propose to Patti Hansen in 1983, he had designer David Courts create a completely unique ruby ring. The designer chose a 4 carat Burmese ruby as the central stone and created a setting in 18K yellow gold of vines wrapping and intertwining themselves.
Diamonds:
If none of these choices suit your fancy and you simply must have a diamond for your ring, diamonds also come in an array of colors. These are: pink, yellow, black, and chocolate. Whichever you chose – Enjoy!
Article written by Whiteflash.com – provider of princess cut diamond.