Model, entrepreneur and all-round It-girl Devon Lee Carlson has announced her engagement to actor Duke Nicholson.
Naturally, we couldn’t be happier for the pair but, if we’re being completely honest, we’re just as interested in the ring as we are the romance.
Carlson shared the news via a characteristically understated Instagram post. In one image, she casually showed off her engagement ring while sporting a bright red mani. In another, she’s celebrating in her wardrobe in bridal white, complete with one arm triumphantly raised in the air.
The low-key announcement quickly attracted thousands of comments, including congratulations from friends and fellow fashion favourites Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Emily Ratajkowski, Lila Moss, Phoebe Tonkin, Rachel Sennott and celebrity makeup artist Nina Park.
As for the ring itself? It features a large round brilliant-cut centre diamond flanked by two smaller round diamonds, creating a classic three-stone silhouette. Set on a yellow gold band, the design feels elegant and traditional while still aligning perfectly with Carlson’s effortlessly cool aesthetic.
While oval solitaire rings have dominated engagement trends in recent years, thanks to celebrities like Ariana Grande, Hailey Bieber and Jasmine Tookes, Carlson’s choice proves there is still plenty of appetite for classic diamond shapes and vintage-inspired settings.
According to Kosta Theochari, Melbourne-based jeweller behind MDT Design, the ring’s design draws heavily on vintage influences.
“The ring is a vintage art deco style, using 12 fine claws to secure its centre stone, which is quite typical of that time period,” Theochari told marie claire.
Beyond its timeless appearance, Theochari notes that the three-stone setting also carries a particularly romantic meaning.
“Trilogy rings are renowned as one of the most sentimental designs as the three gemstones they feature often symbolise the past, the present and the future. Carlson’s engagement ring appears to be a classic trilogy or three stone style design in glowing yellow gold. The ring appears to have a low setting with a very fine and dainty band.”
As for the diamonds themselves, Theochari believes the ring features an impressive centre stone flanked by smaller side diamonds.
“A truly classic interpretation of the trilogy design, this ring appears to hold three round cut diamonds and look to be an old mine cut. The centre stone looks to be around the 2ct weight, while each side stone looks to be around 0.30ct.”
Theochari believes the approximate value of the ring would be $45,000.
While Carlson and Nicholson have largely kept their relationship out of the spotlight, the engagement marks a new chapter following one of the internet’s most mythologised romances. Between 2015 and 2021, Carlson dated musician Jesse Rutherford, with the pair becoming the unofficial poster couple of the Tumblr era.
After six years together, the pair announced what Carlson later described as “the most mutual breakup ever.” However, the split drew renewed attention when Rutherford began dating Billie Eilish the following year. Eilish would later release “Wildflower,” a song widely interpreted as reflecting on the complicated dynamic.
According to the lyrics, Carlson leaned on Eilish for support following the breakup: “You fell out of love and you both let go / She was cryin’ on my shoulder / All I could do was hold her.”
The song goes on to explore the guilt of falling for someone who had previously dated a friend. Addressing the track’s apparent subject, Eilish sings: “I see her in the back of my mind all the time / Feels like a fever, like I’m burning alive, like a sign / Did I cross the line?”
By 2022, Carlson had begun dating Nicholson, the actor and grandson of Hollywood icon Jack Nicholson. The pair reportedly met backstage at a Lana Del Rey concert before reconnecting months later and discovering they shared the same birthday (are you kidding me?).
Since then, they’ve kept their romance relatively private, offering only occasional glimpses into their relationship via social media and red-carpet appearances.
