The Fascinating Story Behind Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's Engagement and Wedding Rings

Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's influence on fashion is still palpable today, nearly three decades after her tragic death. The former fashion publicist became a household name amid her highly publicized romance with John F. Kennedy Jr. in the 1990s. While her iconic Narciso Rodriguez slip dress became one of the most iconic wedding dresses of all time (and went on to define late '90s bridal fashion), the story behind her wedding jewelry isn't as widely known.

Carolyn Bessette's wedding and engagement rings were steeped in sentimentality, with nods to her unique sense of style and the famous political dynasty she married into. Here, we explore the lesser-known details about Carolyn Bessette's wedding jewelry, including the designers, the inspiration and where they are today.

In this article:

• The Engagement Ring
• The Wedding Ring
• What Happened to Carolyn Bessette's Engagement and Wedding Rings?

All About Carolyn Bessette's Engagement Ring

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According to the 2024 biography Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy by Elizabeth Beller, John. F. Kennedy Jr. proposed to Carolyn Bessette on a fishing trip during a vacation to Martha's Vineyard over the Fourth of July holiday in 1995. He allegedly said, "Fishing is so much better with a partner," before presenting her with a unique engagement ring. According to Jillian Sassone, jeweler and founder of Marrow Fine, the most common engagement ring style in the 1990s was a solitaire diamond or gemstone set on a simple band. But, ever the trendsetter, Bessette didn't stick with the norm.

Photo: Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive | Getty Images

Carolyn Bessette's engagement ring was an eternity band with alternating diamonds and sapphires. The gemstones were sourced by Maurice Tempelsman, a Belgian diamond merchant who was a close companion of Jackie Kennedy up until her death in 1994. While it's unclear how much Bessette's engagement ring would have cost back then, Sassone says the quality of the ring indicates its value. "What stands out is the craftsmanship," she says. "A diamond and sapphire eternity band like hers may look simple, but it's very nuanced to create. You have to source stones that match beautifully in color and quality, and the setting has to be incredibly precise so it feels seamless all the way around. That level of detail is really what drives the value in a piece like this."

Bessette's close friend Carole Radziwill, who was married to JFK Jr.'s cousin Anthony Radziwill, gave more intel about the ring in her 2005 memoir What Remains. She wrote that Bessette told her the eternity band was a copy of Jackie Kennedy's "swimming ring." Historians have never been able to pinpoint the exact ring from the former First Lady's collection that inspired Bessette's. In 2022, Vogue suggested that the swimming ring could have been a gift from Tempelsmen. Other theories indicate it may have been a replacement for her toi-et-moi engagement ring that she'd wear to literally go swimming.

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Although Sassone confirms the choice to wear an eternity band was somewhat unusual for the time period, she says it was an authentic reflection of Bessette's fashion sense. "Her style was always effortless, pared-back and understated. An eternity band feels thoughtful and personal. It's romantic in a quieter way, and that really captures her whole aesthetic." While the band didn't follow the "traditional engagement ring formula" of the era, Sassone says that's exactly why it was the perfect choice: "It feels timeless, understated and so distinctly Carolyn."

Carolyn Bessette's Wedding Ring Details

Photo: Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan | Getty Images

John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette never formally announced their engagement to the press. They kept the news quiet until their private wedding on September 21, 1996. The nuptials took place in a small chapel on Cumberland Island, a remote island off the coast of Georgia. Less than 40 guests were invited to the intimate event, which was specifically held at that venue to evade paparazzi attention and media scrutiny. The bride wore a fitted slip dress by Narciso Rodriguez, which became one of the most recognizable celebirty wedding dresses of the modern era.

The couple exchanged matching wedding rings designed by Gogo Ferguson. In a 2025 interview with Garden & Gun, the jeweler shared that their simple gold bands were cast from a rattlesnake's rib. It was a fitting design choice for Ferguson, whose jewelry is inspired the wilderness. (Other rings in Ferguson's catalog have included fragments of armadillo shells, shark vertebrae and sea urchins.) JFK Jr. and CBK further personalized their rings by adding engravings of their initials and the wedding date. "They both wanted something very, very simple," Ferguson told the publication. "[Bessette] loved simple designs, and she didn't need much because she was so beautiful."

Photo: Tyler Mallory | Liaison

Ferguson did more than just design their wedding rings. A native of the island, she moved back in the 1980s after leaving to go to art school. When the couple expressed their interest in getting married there, Ferguson helped them plan the top-secret event. "John was a dear friend, so I agreed to help with their wedding at my family's inn on Cumberland Island," Ferguson explained. "We could give them one precious thing and that was their privacy."

Another peculiar piece of jewelry in Bessette's collection was a thin gold Cartier band, which she wore as a toe ring. Radziwill addressed the ring in her memoir and recalled that Bessette gifted her a matching one during their last summer together. Although Radziwill didn't explicitly say the Cartier accessory was part of Bessette's wedding collection, it's undeniably fascinating that she turned a popular wedding ring into a toe ring.

What Happened to Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's Engagement and Wedding Rings?

phoot: Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive | Getty Images

JFK Jr., Carolyn Bessette and her sister, Lauren Bessette, tragically passed away in a plane crash off the coast of Martha's Vineyard on July 16, 1999. So, what happened to Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's engagement and wedding rings? Their fate has never been publicly addressed. The jewelry could have been lost in the crash, or returned to the family after the victims were recovered five days later. Their ashes were released at sea on July 22.