In 1949, while draped in bright pink silk and glittering in carats upon carats of diamonds, Marilyn Monroe said, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.”
And in the engagement ring arena, that’s especially true. Sparkling, timeless, elegant and durable, diamonds have been the go-to for rings for decades.
But if diamonds are a girl’s best friend, then non-diamond engagement rings are a girl’s playful mate who’s always sending her DMs from her weekend escapes.
That is: exciting, fun and unexpected.
Over the years, several celebrities have opted to buck the diamond tradition in favour of something a touch more out of the box. Whether it’s a gemstone like a sapphire or a ruby, or something truly unique like a pearl or a moonstone, these 15 stars embraced something a little different.
Gwyneth Paltrow
Although she doesn’t wear it often (opting, more often than not, for a gold signet), Gwyneth Paltrow’s engagement ring from husband Brad Falchuk is a massive round-cut sapphire, weighing in around 12 carats.
Emma Stone
Opting out of stones altogether, Emma Stone wears a ring featuring an 8mm round pearl, set into beige gold.
Kate Middleton
Maybe one of the most famous non-diamond rings ever, Kate Middleton’s 12-carat Ceylon sapphire ring was inherited from her late mother-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales.
Katy Perry
Combining a halo of diamonds with a pink centre stone (rumoured to be either a ruby, a pink sapphire or a pink diamond), Katy Perry’s ring from Orlando Bloom is set in a distinct ‘daisy’ style, mirroring her daughter’s name, Daisy Bloom.
Anna Paquin
Another celebrity who chose not to go with a precious stone is Anna Paquin, who wears a moonstone from husband Stephen Moyer.
Eva Longoria
Similar to Katy Perry’s, Eva Longoria also wears a ruby ring surrounded by a diamond halo. However, Longoria’s is set in platinum.
Penélope Cruz
Cruz was gifted this stunning sapphire-and-diamond ring by husband Javier Bardem in 2010.
Sarah Ferguson
Rumour has it that in the ’80s, when Sarah Ferguson became engaged to Prince Andrew, she requested a ruby engagement ring to ‘match her hair.’ She got her wish—the royal gave her a Burmese ruby set into yellow gold, with pear-shaped diamonds cut to look like petals.
Princess Eugenie of York
Sarah’s daughter, Princess Eugenie (who is currently expecting her first child!), reportedly requested a ring from her then-boyfriend Jack Brooksbank that was inspired by her mother’s. And while it is pink, the stone is actually a padparadshca sapphire.
Halle Berry
Halle Berry’s rustic gold-and-emerald ring was hand-forged by famed French jeweller Robert Mazio, and reportedly includes ‘Phoenician codes’ that have personal meaning for Berry and Olivier Martinez.
Lady Gaga
Although her engagement has since ended, Lady Gaga’s ring from Christian Carino was a six- or seven-carat pink sapphire in a diamond halo, worth approximately $400,000 USD.
Zoe Saldana
Since she originally wore a more traditional diamond ring, it’s thought that this pear-shaped emerald is either a second engagement ring or an anniversary gift from husband Marco Perego-Saldana.
Elizabeth Hurley
Her engagement to Shane Warne may not have lasted but the appeal of this emerald-cut sapphire is forever.
Poppy Delevingne
A truly unique setting, Poppy Delevingne’s ring from James Cook consists of an emerald-cut blue diamond flanked by heart-cut white diamonds.
Jessica Simpson
Set in a classic trilogy setting, Jessica Simpson’s ring combines a five-carat ruby flanked by two diamonds.
