British bombshell Emily Ratajkowski recently showcased her new diamond ring on Instagram. This piece is a redesigned pinky ring created from her original engagement diamond, signaling to everyone that she’s doing well and, as an independent woman, she’ll confidently continue forward.
Indeed, modern women can shine on their own! But suddenly, we’re curious: with celebrities’ love lives constantly in flux, what happens to those enviable engagement rings when love fades? We couldn’t resist digging deeper, and wow, this scoop is too good not to share!
In 2018, when Emily received her engagement ring from husband Sebastian Bear-McClard, their love was still so sweet. Their engagement ring was even a collaborative design effort. Sebastian, having worked on the film “Uncut Gems,” had some knowledge of gemstones and connections with Israeli jewelers. He chose two diamonds over 3 carats each: one pear-shaped and one princess cut.
Emily personally sketched the design, opting for the classic “Toi et Moi” style. From over 50 proposals, they selected a design that was both modern and rustic. The ring was then refined and crafted by her friend Alison Chemla, founder of the jewelry brand Alison Lou.
When Emily chose to end her marriage to Sebastian, despite the painful process, everyone believed she was ready to turn a new page in her life when she shared her “divorce ring” on Instagram. She had her friend Alison Chemla redesign her original engagement ring, separating the two diamonds that represented “me and you” into two separate rings.
One ring features the original princess-cut diamond at the center, flanked closely by two trapezoid-cut diamonds. The seams are almost invisible, presenting a unique horizontal hexagonal diamond face. The other ring sets the pear-shaped diamond at an angle, creating a pinky ring that represents an independent woman.
In an interview, Emily stated, “I don’t think a woman should be deprived of her diamond because she loses a man. These rings represent my personal evolution and hold symbolic meaning for me—a kind of symbol or proof that my life is once again my own. These rings feel like a reminder that I can make myself happy in ways I never imagined.”
Emily’s approach to resetting her engagement ring is actually quite rare. Many people don’t maintain such a positive attitude when facing lost love. Most choose to avoid the painful reminder altogether, deliberately distancing themselves from this symbol of their relationship.
For instance, consider how Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, who are now happily in love again, handled their first engagement ring. In 2004, when they sadly called off their engagement, Jennifer Lopez returned the trendsetting $1.2 million pink diamond ring to Ben Affleck. Ben, not wanting to see it either, sold it back to Harry Winston.
Paris Hilton is another celebrity who has owned multiple engagement rings. She often decides to keep her rings and do something more meaningful with them. For example, she sold the 24-carat yellow diamond engagement ring given to her by former fiancé Paris Latsis (reportedly worth $4.7 million) and donated $2 million to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Country singer Jana Kramer took a decisive action when divorcing her ex-husband Mike Caussin, having already forgiven one instance of infidelity and trying for another three years before finally divorcing. She sold both of her rings and used the money to completely redecorate her house. In an interview, she said, “Divorce, for me, is like a gift bag full of possibilities. I can have all sorts of things I want, and a brand new home can give me the energy for a fresh start.”
The ownership of engagement rings varies according to local laws, but generally speaking, if the wedding has taken place, the woman usually keeps the ring. If the engagement is called off before the wedding, the ring is typically returned to the man. Of course, this decision is often left to the woman to make.
For example, Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney ended their engagement in 2016 after dating for five years. Kinney had given her an 8-carat diamond engagement ring worth $500,000. She kept it for a while but eventually returned it.
When Kim Kardashian divorced Kris Humphries, she chose to return the 16.2-carat diamond engagement ring worth over $2 million to him. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the NBA player sold it at a Christie’s auction for $749,000.
However, some couples don’t handle breakups as gracefully. Perhaps the deeper the love, the deeper the hate. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, once considered a perfect couple, began various divorce lawsuits, including a dispute over the ownership of the 16-carat engagement diamond ring worth $250,000.
Some people make more beautiful choices. For instance, Princess Diana, despite her broken love with Charles, deeply loved her two children. When she removed her sapphire engagement ring and replaced it with an aquamarine cocktail ring symbolizing independence, she had already decided to leave the ring that brought her fairy tale dreams and heartbreak to her two sons, as they were the most beautiful outcome of this marriage.
Today, this ring is worn by Kate, representing not only William’s promise of love but also a mother’s beautiful blessing for her children.
As Alison Chemla, the jewelry designer who created Emily’s “divorce ring,” said: “Jewelry always has a deep, intimate connection with the wearer. We’re seeing more and more clients buying for themselves, using jewelry to mark milestones in their lives—whether it’s love, career, or important personal choices. Emily’s ‘divorce ring’ actually represents her desire to reinvigorate herself and start a completely new phase in her life.”
Love Lost, Diamonds Reimagined: The Afterlife of Celebrity Engagement Rings
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