It was almost five thousand years ago in Ancient Egypt that rings upon fingers first became a sign of love, devotion and dedication. The materials chosen were carefully braided reeds or leather and the shape itself was chosen as a symbol of eternity to establish connections between two souls that would last from one world to the next. Even the choice of the fourth finger on the left hand, now so commonly attributed to the engagement ring, was supposed to be representative of the Vena Amoris, the vein of love, that it was thought travelled directly from that particular finger to the heart.
Through the ages of Ancient Rome and into Renaissance Europe, the engagement ring became a cultural landmark where two people could signify their intention to spend the rest of their lives together. In the 20th Century, the diamond company De Beers created not one, but two masterstrokes of marketing that ensured we now have the engagement ring in the elevated status we recognise today. Firstly, they positioned diamonds as a romantic gemstone to try and drive a sluggish market following the great depression of the 1930s. It worked incredibly well. So well, that they then suggested that any suitor in the market of an engagement ring should be spending at least two months’ salary on the piece. And ever since, we have been watching as engagement rings amongst the very wealthy and the very famous have become newsworthy items of cultural significance.
Here is our collection of some of the finest.
Beyoncè
It has been almost twenty years since Jay-Z proposed to Beyoncé to create one of the most defining power couples in entertainment history. In true bravado and impressive style, he did so with a ring that managed to marry awe and grandeur with more than a little finesse. It was, of course, a custom design creation by the hand of Lorraine Schwarz with an 18-carat, flawless emerald cut diamond as the centrepiece that is a vision of clarity over the traditional sparkling stone. The dual-band design of the ring that frames the gem employs a platinum, split-shank pavè style that symbolises two lines of life converging into one. Recent estimates suggest that this ring would now be valued between 4 and 5 million pounds to place it in an incredibly rare class of famous jewellery. As with everything the couple have done together over the last twenty years, there has been a legacy of influence that followed this ring, with the emerald cut surging in popularity ever since. This is an engagement ring that shines as brightly as the undoubted star power of its owner.
Kate Middleton
There are vanishingly rare items of jewellery that hold as much heritage and provenance as Kate Middleton’s engagement ring. By most metrics of valuation in the modern world, it would be easy to consider this item as priceless. The 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire set in 19-karat white gold with 14 brilliant diamonds around its centre was originally given to Princess Diana by the then Prince Charles as a symbol of their own engagement. Interestingly, this was not a bespoke commissioned design. It was chosen by Diana herself from the Garrard & Co catalogue, the Crown Jewellers of the day, and represented an unusual choice that it is said demonstrated Diana’s unpretentious elegance and charm. Today, the ring is known as the ‘Commoner’s Sapphire’ due to the incredible chain of events that tells a story of enduring royalty and English tradition meeting the modern world with the marriage of William to Kate. When the ring was originally selected in 1981, it was valued at around 30 thousand pounds. In the 44 years since then, it has simply become iconic and irreplaceable.
Zendaya
The Golden Globe awards ceremony is always a great way for the eagle-eyed fashionistas to look for outfits, items and objects that will resonate in the seasons to come. In 2025 however, it was Zendaya’s engagement ring that caught everybody’s eye and captured the imagination of the press. This was a bespoke commission by the London-based jeweller, Jessica McCormack, renowned for her Georgian goldsmithing methods aligned with contemporary function and styling. This fabulous piece showcases a 5-carat cushion-cut diamond in a striking east-west bezel that adds modernity to classic ring architecture. It ensures that the diamond lies horizontally across the figure to give the stone a broader aspect and delivers an unusual and remarkable aesthetic. Although the valuation is understandably difficult to ascertain for such a private couple, the craftsmanship of the ring and size of the gem would suggest between a quarter and half a million pounds. Already, this Art Deco-esque ring has set the modern bridal jewellery world alight with a new, sophisticated trend to follow. All perfectly appropriate for such an engaging and modern film star.
Selena Gomez
The Little Ship silhouette of the marquise-cut diamond dates back over 200 years and has fallen out of favour somewhat in recent times. When Selena Gomez sang ‘I’m a marquise diamond’ on her 2015 song, Good For You, it is difficult to imagine her knowing that she would eventually be largely responsible for bringing it back into fashion. When her music producer boyfriend, Benny Blanco, proposed to Selena in late 2024, he had made certain that the engagement ring, co-created with the design team at Los Angeles-based jewellers Abril Baret, used a marquise cut gem. Flanked by yellow gold pavé shoulders with an immaculate eternity band, it displays an uncommon craftsmanship executed with balanced proportions that make it elegant without ostentation. As with all of our collections, the real value is found in the thoughtful approach and story that accompanies the engagement ring. Although estimates have suggested anything up to half a million pounds for this piece, it will not be going for a song anytime soon.
It is clear that engagement rings still firmly hold a place in the heart of our collective culture. As this collection shows, the overall styles, cuts of diamonds and trends in the bands that frame them may change over time, but the allure, magic and captivating spirit that began in Ancient Egypt looks set to remain well into the future.
