As we’ve all seen before, celebrities can rake in the jewels. Pop culture websites and magazines jump at the opportunity to assess a diamond’s worth, especially when it means an actor, signer, or athlete gets engaged.
In this round up, we’re looking at the most expensive engagement rings in the world so we can marvel at their rare beauty. Although you may not be able to afford any of these diamonds, you can certainly gain inspiration from their brilliance.
Did you guess the celebrities who might fall on this list as the owner of such luxury diamonds? How much could they possibly go for at auction? Keep reading to find out.
15. Jennifer Aniston’s 10-Carat Cushion Cut Diamond Ring
Value today: $1 million
Ex-husband, Justin Theroux, proposed to Jennifer Aniston with a beautiful 10-carat diamond that was designed by her dear friend, Jennifer Meyer. It features a cushion-shaped rose gold diamond that is set in 18-karat yellow gold. It is estimated to have cost around $500,000 and is worth $1 million today.
14. Kate Upton‘s 8-Carat Custom Diamond
Value today: $1.5 million
Bigger than her husband’s World Series ring, Kate Upton’s engagement ring from 2016 is 8 carats. Justin Verlander proposed with a custom diamond worth about $1.5 million. What is extra special about this ring is that he designed it himself. It features a big round cut diamond that is set in a diamond pave setting. Custom designs almost always increase in value, as seen in jewelry designs over time. That’s what makes this ring such a rarity.
13. Blake Lively‘s 12-Carat Diamond Ring
Value today: $2.5 million
Ryan Reynolds did right when he proposed to his now-wife, Blake Lively, with a ring worth around $2.5 million. Designed by Lorraine Schwartz, it has a stunning 12-carat oval-cut solitaire diamond set in 18-karat rose gold. It’s large oval shape is what makes the 12-carat diamond really stand out on her hand and on the diamond market.
Check out: 10 Most Expensive Things Sold on eBay to Date
12. Serena Williams’ 12-Carat Emerald Cut Diamond
Value today: $3 million
Serena’s now-husband and Reddit Co-Founder, Alexis Ohanian, proposed in 2016 with a whopping 12 carat diamond ring. It is estimated to cost around $3 million and since the ring was purchased recently, its worth still falls around this amount. The ring features a large emerald-cut diamond with one smaller gem on each side.
11. Melania Trump‘s 25-Carat Diamond Ring
Value today: $5 million
The Graff diamond ring was given to Melania by her husband, Donald Trump, many years before his presidency. The ring is worth $3 million with a 25-carat emerald-cut diamond that oozes class. It’s now said to be worth around $5 million and is actually an anniversary present, so it was not the original ring he proposed with.
10. Beyoncé‘s 18-Carat Diamond Ring
Value today: $7 million
When Jay-Z proposed to Beyoncé, he knew he had to go all out. Worth $5 million in 2008, this ring is an 18-carat emerald cut center diamond. The platinum split-shank band contains micro-pave diamonds, which also increases its value. This beautiful design came from the mind of Lorraine Schwartz. It’s now said to be worth closer to $7 million.
Check out: Half-shredded Banksy fetches $25.4 million on return to Sotheby’s
9. Paris Hilton‘s 24-Carat Diamond
Value today: $7 million
Paris Hilton’s ring shown above was given to her by her ex-fiancée, Paris Latsis, in 2005. Fun fact: Latsis reportedly presented Hilton 15 different engagement rings by acclaimed jewelers before she picked this one. It cost him about $5 million at the time. She ended up auctioning off the stunning 24-carat diamond ring to help provide aid for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. It is now worth around $7 million.
8. Kim Kardashian‘s 15-Carat Diamond Ring
Value today: $8 million
When Kanye West proposed to Kim Kardashian, he did it in style. Worth $8 million, the ring held a 15-carat cushion-cut diamond. Set on a thin platinum band, it was an absolute stunner. This also, unfortunately, happens to be the ring that led to her near death experience during the robbery that happened in Paris in 2016. Everyone knew how rare and valuable this diamond was, which turned out to be dangerous.
7. Anna Kournikova’s 11-Carat Canary Diamond
Value today: $8.5 million
This stunning engagement ring is actually said to be the second ring Enrique Iglesias gave the tennis star. Not that the first ring wasn’t rare and beautiful, too. The popstar spent around $5 million on the canary diamond and it is now worth almost $8.5 million, according to Brides.com. It’s estimated to be 11 carats, which is pretty massive to play tennis with. However, there are several photos of her wearing it during her matches, so clearly it’s a prized piece of love and jewels.
6. Elizabeth Taylor‘s 33-Carat Krupp Diamond
Value today: $8.8 million
Holding the title for most expensive engagement ring for several decades, Elizabeth Taylor has seen several rare diamonds in her relationships. The 33 carat tapered baguette-cut diamond mounted in platinum, pictured above, was given to her by Richard Burton in 1964. It is said that he paid only around $300,000 for the diamond at that time. In 2011, the market was shocked as it went up for auction by Christie’s and sold for $8.8 million. Clearly, famous ownership of jewels can make them super rare and valuable because the ring was only estimated to be worth $3 million before this auction took place. That being said, it is a stunning piece.
Also Read: 5 Disney Collectibles For Serious Disneyana Fans
5. Jennifer Lopez‘s 8.5-Carat Green Diamond
Value today: $10 million
In 2022, Ben Affleck proposed to J.Lo for the second time with a ring that is estimated to be worth $10 million from Harry Winston. Since it is the second ring he gave her and they never quite made it down the aisle last time, it had to be extra special. This ring features an 8.5 carat natural green diamond, which is extremely rare and apparently, considered a lucky color to the singer. In fact, Page Six reports that the color appears in “less than 0.1% of natural diamonds,” so therein lies the immense value.
4. Mariah Carey‘s 35-Carat Diamond
Value today: $10 million
Mariah Carey holds the fourth spot for the world’s most expensive engagement ring. Given to her by her ex-fiancée, James Packer, this ring cost a whopping $10 million, according to Brides. Set in solid platinum, this emerald-cut diamond ring is 35 carats and has two tapered baguette diamonds. A few years ago, it was revealed that Carey actually sold the ring for far less than Packer originally paid. A jeweler in L.A. paid about $2 million. This is unlike many of the other rings on this list appreciating in value, but this probably has to do with the fact that she sold it privately behind the scenes of the public.
3. Bulgari’s 8.08-Carat Blue Diamond
Value today: $18 million
This exceptional 8 carat blue diamond ring was once the world’s most expensive engagement ring. In 2018, it was said to auction for $18 million, raising its estimated value from $13 million. This color diamond and the sheer size made it one of the most rare finds Christie’s has actioned off. It was offered from a private collection and presents pure blue natural color.
Check out: 10 Most Expensive Paintings Ever Sold
2. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis‘ 40-Carat Marquise Diamond
Value today: $20 million
While Jackie Kennedy’s first ring was outstanding, her second engagement ring was actually worth more. In 1968, Greek billionaire Aristotle Onassis proposed to Jacqueline Kennedy. The Harry Winston designed ring was worth $2.6 million, which was a significant amount back in the 60s. It featured a 40.42-carat Marquise cut diamond that would make this ring worth up to $20 million today. Both the size and cut go into this valuation, but even more importantly, her impact on pop culture and famed ownership.
1. Grace Kelly‘s 10-Carat Cartier Diamond
Value today: $40 million
It was truly a fairytale engagement for Grace Kelly. In 1956, Prince Rainier III of Monaco proposed to the beautiful Hollywood actress, making her a princess to be. The historic ring was a 10.47-carat emerald-cut diamond ring that Cartier designed. It was worth $4 million when it was purchased, but could be worth up to $40 million in 2023’s market. Not only was she a popular actress, but her husband was the infamous Prince of Monaco, which makes this piece true royalty in the world of gems.
As we can see from our round up of the 15 most expensive engagement rings in the world as of 2023, there are many factors that contribute to the value of a diamond. Since almost all of these rings were owned by celebrities, that increases value and rarity because the jewelry has a story in our society. Collectors recognize that and some wish to own pieces from certain celebrities in history in order to enhance their collection.
Cut, clarity, and size also go into the value of a diamond. All of these insanely valuable rings are 8 carats or more, making the diamonds of great size and quality. And, of course, we cannot forget color, which shows just how rare some of these rings are. Diamond experts and luxury collectors will know that diamonds like these almost always go up in value. While inflation is certainly a factor, fame can be another.