Grace Kelly’s engagement ring

The ring for a real princess – eye-catching, iconic and simply perfect. 

Grace Kelly is an epitome of style and elegance. The actress conquered not only Hollywood, but the whole world with her beauty, taste and class. Even the Prince of Monaco succumbed to her charms and offered her his heard along with his kingdom. The couple’s engagement announcement was front-page news at The New York Times. And although many years have passed, today’s brides still dream of a ring, a dress and a wedding like Grace Kelly’s.

The story behind the rings

Did you know there were two engagement rings? That’s how the story began.

The Oscar-winning actress Grace Kelly met the ruler of Monaco, Prince Rainier III, at the Cannes Film Festival in 1955. He was crazy about her, while she remarked that he was “a very charming man”. The couple was exchanging romantic letters for a while and, finally, when the Prince visited Kelly’s in her hometown of Philadelphia, he proposed. 

But she didn’t get a typical engagement ring. 

During the first press conference of the newly-engaged couple, Kelly showed a tender eternity band set with diamonds and rubies symbolizing the colors of Monaco. That ring was designed by Cartier and formed part of the royal family heirlooms. 

Some say, the eternity ring was always meant to be a placeholder for the later engagement ring, while others say that the second engagement ring – the larger one that is most associated with the actress – came about by chance.  

The second ring appeared when Kelly was filming in her final movie called High Society. As soon as it merely flashed on the screen, it immediately became the world’s most famous engagement ring. In the movie Kelly’s character had to wear a fake ring chosen by a costume designer. When Rainier heard about it, he offered to buy his young wife a second engagement ring. Of course, no one argued. That’s how the iconic Cartier ring featuring 10.48 ct emerald-cut diamond flanked by two baguette-cut side stones appeared. 

Presently, the Cartier engagement ring belongs to the House of Grimaldi.

Why is this ring so special? 

This legendary engagement ring cost jaw-dropping $4 million. It went down in history as one of the world’s most expensive celebrity and royal gems. For instance, another iconic engagement ring – the one that belonged to Princess Diana – is worth $500,000 today. Jacqueline Kennedy’s engagement ring cost an estimated $2.6 million. 

According to the experts, Grace Kelly’s ring could be worth around $38.8 million today.  

The price seems to speak for itself: in its ring, Cartier used the best white diamond, excellent in both, color grade as well as clarity. Its impressive 10.48 ct weight is emphasized by elegant emerald shape.

Although the design of the ring was pretty simple, it only amplified the beauty of the central stone, while the side stones completed the image. A real classic with a touch of chic! 

Inspired by a legend

Iconic jewels are made to inspire!

Everyone deserves to feel like a princess. If you – or your beloved one – have always admired Grace Kelly’s timeless engagement ring, then it’s time to think about creating such a treasure.

First of all, the design. Three stone rings are timeless. This design features a well-chosen pair of side diamonds that complement the central stone and add scale to it. 

Secondly, the central stone. Let it be perfect. Pay attention to the diamonds from these two groups: “collection color” that represents stones in D and F colors, and “investment diamonds” that is also called Dfl, meaning flawless D color diamonds without any inclusions. The stones from these groups are unsurpassed. However, diamonds included in the “commercial goods” group (stones with a color from G to I) also deserve attention.

Thirdly, the cut of the central stone. The emerald cut – as on Grace Kelly’s engagement ring – has a number of advantages. It provides deeper clarity and a large surface table. Due to its long step cut, the diamond offers abundant reflections of light. The emerald cut also allows a diamond to look bigger than other shapes in the same carat weight.

Do you need professional advice or want to create a bespoke jewelry piece? Remember to use our MAD Advisor service.

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