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“Diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” a popular phrase said by Marilyn Monroe in 1953 for her role in the film “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” has remained true to today. A historic symbol of commitment, financial security, and love, engagement rings have long been a staple of the jewelry industry.
The true cost of a forever ring is more than shelling out thousands of dollars and velvet boxes. The engagement ring tradition is also a point of legal discussion when it comes to the process of mining diamonds, from extraction to the almost final destination in the ring box.
Known as the infamous “Four Cs” in the jewelry world, color, cut, clarity, and carat all come together to make a diamond unique. Yet, with the uptake of recent celebrity engagements, the Four Cs are getting more attention than ever before. Recently engaged Georgina Rodriguez, Taylor Swift, Zendaya Coleman, and Dua Lipa have beautifully different rings; Delving into the “Four Cs” behind these future I do’s tells us more about the industry behind diamonds.
The Rings
Photo Credit: Shutterstock Georgina Rodríguez’s Ring
Firstly, Georgina Rodriguez recently announced via social media her engagement to world-renowned soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, showcasing – what major jewelers are debating – a 30 to 40 carat diamond ring.
Carat Weight – The weight of Ms. Rodriguez’s ring is large, but still unconfirmed. Elle Magazine reports the CEO of Hera Fine Jewelry estimates the center diamond to be around “ 30 to 35 carats,” yet the New York Times states “George Khalife, known as George the Jeweler, estimated that it was around 20 to 25 carats, and around at least $5 million to $7 million.”
Cut – Many agree that the ring is in a three-diamond structure with a very large center oval-shaped diamond and two smaller, slender, elongated oval diamonds on both sides.
Clarity and color – The incredible quality of the ring is seemingly the highest level of clarity there is: flawless. Additionally, the diamond looks to be colorless, placing it in the D-F color range.
The engagement ring was first seen on fan accounts on social media that support the actress’s relationship with fellow actor Tom Holland; Zendaya seemingly debuted the ring at the 2025 Golden Globes.
Carat Weight – The slightly above 5-carat diamond includes a bezel setting ring, a customized metal ring that wraps around the diamond, covering the edges.
Cut – Cushion cut east-west diamond (which just refers to a horizontal diamond instead of the typical vertical standing).
Clarity and Color – Elle Magazine’s deep dive on Zendaya’s ring details includes Jeweler Laura Taylor of Lorel Diamonds regarding the ring quality as “likely VVS clarity and near-colorless (D-F).”
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With 36 million likes on Instagram, Taylor Swift’s engagement announcement to football player Travis Kelce came with a discourse on her diamond.
Carat Weight – Many have different opinions on the exact weight of the diamond due to its elongated shape. A few jewelry professionals place the ring in the 7-10 carat territory, others say it is closer to the 4-6 carat range.
Cut – Cushion cut, gold bezel set diamond ring with side diamonds in the band. The main yellow gold-encased diamond itself is vintage. CNN Style reveals that Garret Weldon, a jeweler who is also president of the Irish Antique Dealers Association, describes Swift’s ring as rare. He explains, “The gem likely dates back to the 18th or early 19th century. At that time, there was very little mechanization of the mining process, so you had to wait for nature to weather the stone out of a rock face.”
Clarity and Color – Lauren B. Shmueli, from Lauren B Jewelry, said for NBC News that Swift’s diamond looks to be VS1 clarity or higher. However, for a ring this vintage, some have noticed the presence of a warmer shade, making the color up for debate.
Confirming her engagement to British actor Callum Turner over the summer, Dua Lipa’s ring utilizes popular ring trends to create a unique ring.
Carat Weight – Characterized by the thicker gold band, Lipa’s diamond is most likely in the 2-4 carat range.
Cut – A round cut diamond with a type of bezel setting encases the ring from the sides, yet leaves a small space open at the top.
Clarity and Color – Though the clarity and color are unconfirmed by professional jewelers, they look to be within the D-F range and the VS1 or VS2 diamond category.
Transportation of Diamonds from Mine to Market
Transporting this high-value collateral is not easy; in fact, both the European Union (EU) and the United States control shipments of diamonds with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. The Kimberly Process (KP) is aimed at stopping the trade of conflict diamonds; the KP defines “ the rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance armed conflicts aimed at undermining legitimate governments.”
The Department of State describes its participation in the KP process as a function of upholding the Clean Diamond Trade Act of 2003, which explicitly outlaws the trade of rough diamonds without a Kimberley Process Certification.
The United States does not control diamond prices, allowing the market for these stones to vary. The market for diamonds is mostly controlled through the regulation of their trade. This lack of homogeneity within diamond prices can be another reason why diamond rings are becoming increasingly more unique, forcing the circulation of trend-setting rings to expand.
The Future of Diamond Trends
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Many of the rings highlighted above feature a bezel setting, perhaps pointing to the newest engagement ring trend rising in the past few years. Future consumers also might see some differences in trends and prices, given the popularity of such larger diamonds in the media. According to a survey by The Knot, “the average engagement ring size is 1.7 carats and the center stone is 1.8 carats.” When considering the most popular advertised ring trends, is it possible that, as a society, we could be setting the stage for increased carat size and engagement ring costs to become the norm?
Celebrity engagements continue to shape public perception of diamond rings, not only setting new trends in style but reframing how society defines the value behind saying yes to forever.
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