August 06, 26
Pop star announces engagement to an NFL quarterback on social media, shares a picture of her ring online and sparks a frenzy of speculation about the size, cut and price of the diamond.
Sounds familiar? No, it’s not Taylor Swift.
This time it’s Madison Beer, arguably a league below Swift in terms of global mega-stardom, but a trendsetter nonetheless with two platinum‑selling albums, a couple of Grammy nominations, 40 million Instagram followers and around 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Her engagement, announced last week, is a virtual re-run of Taylor Swift’s, the news story that supercharged media interest in vintage‑style rings when it broke last August.
Again it’s an old mine-cut that’s stealing the limelight, though Beer’s diamond is a more elongated cushion cut than Swift’s bezel-set stone.
Small details aside, both rings have diverted the media’s focus from relentless stories about the ascent of lab growns to celebrity endorsements of natural stones.
The parallels between Beer and Swift – their stories and their rings – are quite remarkable.
Madison Beer, aged 27, was discovered by Justin Bieber when she was just 13, after posting a cover of the Etta James song At Last on YouTube.
Swift, now 35, signed to a Nashville record label as a teen when she was just 15.
Madison Beer with fiance Justin Herbert.
Beer dated Justin Herbert, aged 28, a quarterback for the NFL team Los Angeles Chargers, before the couple posted a joint message on Instagram announcing their engagement, with romantic pictures of Herbert down on one knee.
Swift dated Travis Kelce, aged 36, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL, before the couple posted a joint message on Instagram announcing their engagement with, you guessed it, pictures of Kelce down on one knee.
Beer’s ring was instantly dubbed “one of the biggest celebrity jewelry moments of the year” as every expert worth their salt offered their analysis, and every style journo joined the rush to gush.
So let’s get to the really important part. Here are two loved-up couples plighting their troth, setting out together on their joint adventures through life, which is all good and well. But what about the rings?
OK, so the bottom line is that both stones are both antique-style, both about 8 to 10 carat, and both valued (after all the hype) somewhere around the $1 million mark.
Beer’s ring features an elongated cushion‑cut diamond with an extreme (estimated) ratio of 1.6-2:1, in a minimalist solitaire on a slim yellow‑gold band with no halo or no side stones. Valuations range between $300,000 and $1.2 million, based on the stone, as seen in faraway pictures, being somewhere between 6 and 10 carats.
Swift’s diamond is an old mine‑brilliant (antique elongated cushion) with classic period faceting, bezel‑set in hand‑engraved 18k yellow gold with subtle side accents.
Taylor Swift with fiance Travis Kelce
Most expert estimates the cluster at around 8-10 carats, with valuations anywhere between $500,000 and $1.5 million.
Swift’s ring helped pull vintage and old‑mine cuts back into the mainstream conversation. Beer’s ring is now doing the same for hyper‑elongated cushions.
Two couples, two rings, one message to the market – character over clutter – and two pieces of advice from me.
One: Watch out for singer Cardi B and Stefon Diggs, an NFL wide receiver currently in search of a team, as possibles for the next high-profile singer/football player duo.
They’re a cool rather than a hot prospect, given that they split after a baby, and are a bit “can’t live with, can’t live without”. But you never know.
And two: Whether it’s them, or any other couple following in the footsteps of Swift, Beer and their beloveds, could they please make our lives easier by providing a clear close-up of the ring when they post their engagement on Instagram, together with a receipt and, if at all possible, a GIA cert. Thanks.
Have a fabulous weekend.