1. Stunning sparklers of the stars
Engagement rings are almost always a big deal, but for the rich and famous they
are often a staggeringly breathtaking deal. Tastes change and styles go in and out
but a love of big, impressive jewelry—especially when presented on one knee—
seems to be timeless. Have a look through these eleven most over-the-top
engagement rings of the past fifty years but don’t feel bad if your fiancé can’t pull
off the same 40 carat diamond that Jackie Kennedy Onassis once received. There’s
always that 20th anniversary ring to look forward to once he’s saved his pennies!
1) Heidi Klum – The second richest model of all time scored one of the world’s
most impressive engagement rings when her fiancé Seal proposed to her with a 10-
carat oval-cut canary diamond on top of a 14,000 foot high glacier in Whistler,
British Columbia.
2) Jayne Mansfield – This actress and major-league sex symbol received a 10-
carat round diamond engagement ring from the 1955 Mr. Universe, Mickey
Hargitary. As if a ring valued at $25,000 by 1957 standards wasn’t romantic
enough, Mansfield could also enjoy swimming in the heart-shaped pool at the
couple’s mansion whenever she had that loving feeling.
3) Catherine Zeta Jones – The mysteriously age-impervious bride of Michael
Douglas received an antique marquis ring valued at two million dollars when she
agreed to marry the slick-haired charmer. The Fred Leighton ring that Douglas
bestowed on Zeta-Jones is as unusual as the Welsh beauty herself and features a
stone placed horizontally instead of vertically.
4) Khloé Kardashian – When Lamar Odom popped the question after only a
month of dating Khloé, at least he did it in style. Odom presented Kardashian with
a 12.5-carat radiant-cut diamond, and the happy pair tied the knot on TV in front of
millions less than a week later.
5) Melania Knauss – If you’re planning to marry the Donald, expect quality.
When Donald Trump proposed to Melania Knauss in 2004, he pulled out all the
stops with a 15-carat emerald-cut diamond valued at a reported $1.5 million.
6) Elizabeth Hurley – The 15-carat Asscher-cut Chopard ring that Elizabeth
Hurley received from her fiancé Arun Nayar in 2007 might have temporarily
blinded her to the inevitable stress of planning their multi-day wedding ceremony.

2. 7) Beyonce – Not only did Jay-Z put a ring on it; he also gave it a tattoo. Even
though Beyonce’s 18-carat emerald-cut engagement ring more or less shouts
“forever”, the mega-talented lady and her brilliant husband sport matching tattoos
on their ring fingers, just in case.
8) Kim Kardashian – What woman wouldn’t like a hot NBA star spelling out “I
love you” in rose petals on the bed of a luxurious hotel suite? Apparently the tactic
worked like a charm on Kim Kardashian, although the bent-knee proposal and
20.5-carat Lorraine Schwartz ring likely didn’t hurt. Kim’s love-struck beau Kris
Humphries asked for her hand in marriage with an emerald-cut sparkler worth $2.5
million and Kim, romantic at heart that she is, said yes.
9) Paris Hilton – When a Paris meets a Paris, what can follow except true love,
tabloid fodder and one of the biggest rocks seen this side of Greece since the
Parthenon? When shipping heir Paris Latsis proposed to Paris Hilton, he presented
her with a 24-carat ring valued at around $4.7 million. Unfortunately the
engagement only lasted for five months, but the ring was later auctioned off for
charity.
10) Elizabeth Taylor – Where to begin? Liz loved love and love loved her back.
Given fabulous jewelry by fabulous men throughout her life, Taylor’s 33-carat
emerald-cut Krupp Diamond ring still stands out. Two-time husband Richard
Burton presented it to Taylor in 1968. Even though the couple had already married
for the first time in 1964 and the ring was not an engagement ring, Taylor wore it
constantly. The breathtaking ring became a symbol of Taylor’s dedication to style
and elegance, and she was one of the rare women in history who have possessed
the fire to effortlessly carry off such a brilliant piece of jewelry.
11) Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis – When Jackie Kennedy remarried, she knew
the world was watching. Aristotle Onassis was an excellent and well-thought out
choice for Jackie: Smart, worldly, and full of class. Still, he didn’t skimp on the
bling. Mr. Onassis presented her with a 40.42-carat marquise-cut Lesotho III
diamond ring when he proposed, and in auction at Sotheby’s that same ring sold
for $2.6 million in 1996.