We take a closer look at the ring choices of some recent celebrity brides and brides-to-be
Words by Beth Forsyth
Johnny Depp is off the market. This we all know (sigh). Not only is his fiancée Amber Heard rocking some serious bling since he proposed, but the man himself has been spotted wearing a bunch of carats on his left hand. Apparently he neglected to check his good lady’s ring size, so the first one he bought was too big. Rather than get it resized, he decided to wear it himself and buy her a new one!
Meanwhile, over in the George Clooney camp, bigger is clearly better, as his soon-to-be-missus Amal Alamuddin sports a platinum band crowned with a seven-carat emerald-cut diamond that reportedly cost a cool half-million.
But it’s not just two of Hollywood’s hottest men that are off the market – there’s been a flurry of celebrity engagements and weddings of late. We take a nosey in their jewellery boxes in a bid to inspire your own ring choices…
Olivia Palermo
The New York socialite said yes to German model Johannes Huebl at the start of the year – and who wouldn’t when presented with a gem as radiant as the sun (and almost as big). Gareth Mundie of Glasgow jeweller Ian Mundie & Son (ianmundieandsonjewellery.co.uk) gives us his take on the ring: “I reckon it is a large (at least five-carat) natural yellow colour cushion-cut or radiant-cut diamond, with white trillion-cut diamonds on either side. To get the same look, you would probably need a spare £250,000, but smaller examples of natural yellow diamonds can cost less than £4000.”
Gareth points out that while natural yellow diamonds are becoming more popular, they are expensive because they are much rarer than classic white diamonds. “If the price looks too good to be true, the yellow diamond is probably lab-treated or lab-grown (i.e. entirely man-made),” he warns. “Other yellow gems that can give you a similar look for less money include yellow sapphire, yellow beryl and lemon quartz (although you’ll need to take great care of the latter two when wearing them as they’re prone to surface scratching).”
Kim Kardashian
“If reports on the size of the stone are to be believed, Kanye proposed with a 15-carat princess-cut diamond ring that cost around $1.25 million,” muses Daniel Groundland of Mr Harold and Son (mrharoldandson.com) in the Argyll Arcade. It’s not a ring for nipping round Asda in (unless you have a security guard on speed dial), so a lighter-weight stone is much more practical – and has other benefit too, as Daniel points out: “A princess-cut five-carat diamond still dazzles and mirrors Kim’s look, but is a bit more affordable for us mere mortals.”
Fearne Cotton
For the soon-to-be-wife of a son of a Rolling Stone, no ordinary ring would do. If press pictures are anything to go by, Ronnie’s offspring Jesse Wood picked out a distinctive white band with an Aztec-like pattern of gold lines for his other half when he asked for her hand. Conventional it ain’t, but it suits the free-spirited Radio 1 DJ down to the ground. Influenced by another ancient race of people – the Vikings – this Runic ring by Orkney-based jeweller Sheila Fleet (sheilafleet.com) has much in common with Fearne’s, thanks to the etchings running around the band. Sheila reveals that for this ring she was “inspired by the Viking runes carved into the chamber walls of the Stone Age tomb at Maeshowe, Orkney”. In runes it reads: ‘Enduring strength and unity’ – a phrase that rings true for marriage itself.
Michelle Keegan
The Corrie star has been toting a huge pale sapphire surrounded by diamonds since she got engaged to TOWIE’s Mark Wright at the end of 2013. Halo rings, where a smaller set of stones encircle the main stone, have become increasingly popular thanks to A-listers such as Natalie Portman and Kelly Rowland rocking them. It’s a fabulous style for those not on a millionaire’s budget, as a halo will emphasise even a modest centre stone, increasing the perceived diamond size and the diamond’s brilliance, making it look as if you have more bang for your buck. “This beautiful 18ct white gold and diamond cluster bridal set emulates the halo effect of Michelle’s diamond engagement ring. With a matching diamond wedding band and eternity ring included, your hand will sparkle with every move you make,” says Tracy Brown, director of Chisholm Hunter (chisholmhunter.co.uk).
Scarlett Johansson
French journalist Romain Dauriac popped the question to Scarlett last year, bearing a unusual, antique-looking sparkler. “Her ring looks like it’s vintage Art Deco style,” comments Michael Laing OBE, chairman of Laing Edinburgh (laingthejeweller.com). “It is stylish, timeless and, being low-set, easy to wear every day. It is what most people would wear as a dress ring, although it’s not necessarily a ring that would sit well with a wedding band.”
“Like all jewellery, your wedding and engagement rings should be a true expression of personality. Here, I think it shows that Scarlett is happy to break the mould, but also has a classic side and an eye for detail. In short: this girl has taste.”