The 10 Most Beautiful Engagement Rings of All Time

When it comes to narrowing down the most beautiful engagement rings of all time, it's nearly impossible to pick a favorite. After all, we've seen countless incredible rings over the years, from celebrity sparklers to royal gemstones and fictional baubles. Plus, considering tastes in jewelry are highly subjective, it's challenging to narrow down the best of the best. But, that said, some pretty engagement rings do stand out from the rest. At The Knot, it's our job to stare at diamonds all day, every day, which is why we've compiled the ultimate guide to the most beautiful engagement rings in history.

This all-encapsulating list includes designs from every era and every medium. These iconic rings have inspired lasting trends, they've pushed the boundaries of jewelry design, and they're downright gorgeous. Can you guess which ones made the cut?

The Knot's List of the Prettiest Engagement Rings

It may come as no surprise that classic gems like Princess Diana's sapphire and Mariah Carey's dazzling rock are some of the prettiest engagement rings ever—but the others might surprise you! Here's our definitive guide to the most beautiful engagement rings of all time.

• The Most Beautiful Engagement Ring Ever: Grace Kelly's Engagement Ring
• The Most Beautiful Engagement Ring of 2023: Francesca Farago's Engagement Ring
• The Most Trendsetting Celebrity Engagement Ring: Blake Lively's Engagement Ring
• The Most Iconic Engagement Ring Design: Tiffany's Solitaire Diamond Engagement Ring
• The Most Famous Royal Engagement Ring: Princess Diana's Sapphire
• The Prettiest Engagement Ring in a Movie: Crazy Rich Asians' Emerald Engagement Ring
• The Prettiest Engagement Ring in a TV Show: Friends' Three-Stone Engagement Ring
• The Most Beautiful Reality TV Star Engagement Ring: Becca Kufrin and Thomas Jacobs' Rings
• The Biggest Diamond Engagement Ring: Mariah Carey's 35-Carat Engagement Ring
• The Most Beautiful Lab-Grown Diamond: Bindi Irwin's Engagement Ring

Grace Kelly's Beautiful Engagement Ring

Photo: Art Selby/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal | Getty Images

When it comes to timeless engagement ring designs, it doesn't get more classic than a sleek emerald-cut diamond, much like the one that sat on Grace Kelly's finger. The actress-turned-royal is synonymous with Old Hollywood glamor, as exemplified by her ring. After first proposing with a Cartier eternity band, Prince Rainier III of Monaco swapped the ring for a stunning 10.48-carat emerald-cut diamond flanked by two baguette-cut side stones. Experts estimate that the ring could be worth $38.8 million today, making it the most expensive celebrity engagement ring that we know of.

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Francesca Farago's Beautiful Engagement Ring from 2023

Photo: @FrancescaFarago | Instagram

Of all the celebrity engagement rings we've seen exchanged in 2023, one easily stands out from the rest. We're obsessed with reality TV star Francesca Farago's engagement ring from Jesse Sullivan. The TikTok creator popped the question with a one-of-a-kind engagement ring from celeb-favorite brand Ring Concierge. The botanical design is a toi-et-moi ring with a radiant-cut diamond nestled next to a marquise-cut diamond in a yellow gold and diamond vine setting.

In a video shared on TikTok, Farago called the ring "the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my entire life." She added that her fiancé was heavily involved in the creation of the ring, which was inspired by Jackie Kennedy's two-stone engagement ring, saying, "Jesse designed it himself, and he put so much thought into every single frickin' detail…I think he did a good job."

Blake Lively's Trendsetting Engagement Ring

Photos: Taylor Hill | Getty Images; Jon Kopaloff | FilmMagic

Few celebrity engagement rings have been as impactful as Blake Lively's. When the actress got engaged to Ryan Reynolds in 2012, he popped the question with a rare, oval-cut pink diamond set on a rose gold pavé band. The engagement ring, which was designed by Lorraine Schwartz, is estimated to be 12 carats and worth around $2 million.

Part of the reason we love this beautiful engagement ring so much is because of its undeniable impact on the wedding industry. According to The Knot Jewelry and Engagement Study, oval-cut diamond rings made up just 2% of all engagement rings in 2015—but by 2022, that number rose to 21%. While there are plenty of reasons why more and more people are loving this diamond shape, there's no denying that seeing such a high-profile celebrity rock this shape had an impact as well. After Blake Lively's engagement ring took pop culture by storm, we've seen similar styles on the hands of stars like Hailey Bieber, Kourtney Kardashian, Jasmine Tookes and Ariana Grande, to name a few.

Tiffany & Co.'s Iconic Solitaire Diamond Engagement Ring

Photo: Tiffany & Co.

While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it's fair to say that Tiffany & Co. manufactured the world's most iconic engagement ring design. The world-renowned jeweler, which has a legendary flagship store in New York City, has set the standard for jewelry craftsmanship, especially when it comes to their solitaire six-prong setting—which many experts consider to be the most famous engagement ring style in the world. This pretty ring features a delicate six-prong setting that allows the center stone to "float above the band and into the light." It's the true definition of a timeless engagement ring that will never go out of style.

Princess Diana's Sapphire Engagement Ring

Photos: Hulton Archive / Getty Images, Tim Graham Photo Library | Getty Images

When you think of a famous engagement ring, there's a good chance you envision Princess Diana's sapphire gemstone. Easily one of the most recognizable royal engagement rings throughout history, this colorful bauble features a 12-carat oval sapphire center stone surrounded by 14 round diamonds on a white gold band. Today, it's estimated to be worth $400,000.

Despite its impressive size, this royal ring stirred up some serious controversy. Instead of commissioning a one-of-a-kind design as was the royal custom, Diana selected the sapphire ring from Garrard, a UK jewelry store. This was a pivotal decision because it meant commoners could also have access to the same jewels as the royal family.

Drama aside, the royal family came around this heirloom. It was passed on to the late princess' son, Prince William, who presented it to Kate Middleton when they got engaged on an African safari in 2010.

Crazy Rich Asians' Emerald Engagement Ring

Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Crazy Rich Asians delivered one of the most iconic movie weddings of all time, but we'd be remiss not to mention the film's incredible engagement ring as well. In the movie, based on Kevin Kwan's novel of the same name, matriarch Eleanor Young wears a stunning emerald-cut gem flanked by diamond side stones. According to costume designer Mary E. Vogt, the design was inspired by director Jon M. Chu's love for Jackie Kennedy's engagement ring. "He loves that ring," Vogt previously told The Knot in an exclusive interview. "So the art department got involved with designing this ring, and they made one that was very similar to the JFK-designed ring."

But, interestingly enough, actress Michelle Yeoh—who portrayed Eleanor—had a similar style in her personal jewelry box. "Michelle Yeoh loves simplicity, and she said, 'Well, you know, I love the idea of emerald. What about this ring?' And she personally had her engagement ring that she'd designed—and it was also emerald! So we were like, 'Oh my gosh, that's perfect.' So the ring you see in the movie is actually Michelle's."

Yeoh later confirmed the incredible secret to The Knot, saying, "It was very important for [the ring] to be real. And Eleanor was a character who knew what she wore had to be flawless. Her [own] mother-in-law did not approve and did not give her the family ring at the end of the day… so that ring had to be very special."

Friends' Three-Stone Sapphire Engagement Ring

Photo: NBCU Photo Bank | Getty Images

Could we be any more obsessed with this engagement ring? Monica Gellar and Chandler Bing make up one of the most beloved fictional couples of all time, and their engagement scene remains one of the best in TV history. For the special moment, Chandler popped the question with a colorful three-stone diamond engagement ring, which had a diamond center stone surrounded by two trillion-cut blue sapphires. The ring was hand-selected by the product team at Tacori—and to this day, they still have clients requesting "The Monica Ring."

Becca Kufrin and Thomas Jacobs' Engagement Rings

Photo: @BKoof | Instagram

From The Bachelor to Love Is Blind, we've watched so many incredible reality TV proposals play out on our screens. While we could highlight plenty of beautiful engagement rings from television proposals, we have a soft spot for the rings exchanged by former Bachelorette Becca Kufrin and her husband Thomas Jacobs. While the two are both Bachelor nation stars, they didn't cross paths on the same season; Kufrin ended her engagement with her final rose recipient, and Jacobs was eliminated early on Katie Thurston's season. They ultimately met on Bachelor in Paradise and struck up a relationship, only for their romance to fizzle out before the season ended. But, as fate would have it, they rekindled their love off-screen and are happily married today.

What we love about these engagement rings is how they were exchanged. Kufrin tossed tradition by proposing to Jacobs first in May 2022. "The ultimate UNO reverse card / power move," Jacobs wrote on Instagram alongside a snap of his ring, which is a classic gold band. "You keeping me on my toes for a lifetime has a great ring to it. Cheers to forever Boops." A few months later, he returned the favor by proposing to Kurfin with an oval-cut engagement ring on a gold band.

Mariah Carey's 35-Carat Engagement Ring

Photo: Jason LaVeris | Getty Images

What's the biggest celebrity engagement ring of all time? That esteemed title goes to Mariah Carey, who once wore a whopping 35-carat engagement ring. The singer received this massive bauble from Australian billionaire James Packer in 2016. This beautiful engagement ring by Wilfredo Rosado featured an emerald-cut center stone flanked by baguette tapered side stones. Shortly after news of the proposal went public, Rosado told Vogue that this celebrity engagement ring was "the most challenging piece of jewelry I've ever designed."

Sadly, the ring wasn't on her hand for very long. The couple split in October of that year, and Carey kept the bauble as part of their settlement. Although she sold it in 2018 for $2.1 million, experts say its actual value is around $10 million.

Bindi Irwin's Lab-Grown Diamond Engagement Ring

Photo: @BindiSueIrwin | Instagram

Lab-grown diamonds have been a buzzy topic of conversation in the jewelry industry, especially as more celebrities embrace the rising trend. While not all A-listers opt to disclose how their gems were sourced, Australian conservationist Bindi Irwin proudly flaunted her lab-grown diamond engagement ring after getting engaged to Chandler Powell in 2019. The TV personality (who's the daughter of the famed "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin) opened up about the design of her oval engagement ring in an interview with People. "Chandler chose the most perfect ring—it's made from recycled rose gold and the gem is a lab-grown 2.01-carat diamond," she told the outlet. "I love that its twisted band is nature-inspired and scattered with diamonds. I have always dreamed of a vintage style ring as I'm quite traditional."