Drew Barrymore's Engagement Ring Bling

Drew Barrymore's engagement ring finger is once again sporting a diamond - and if her official engagement photo is any indication?

The third time may just be the charm...

Drew's hunky art-consultant fiance, Will Kopelman, put a stunning colorless, 4-carat, radiant-cut stunner on the 36-year-old actress over the holidays, according to USWeekly.com.

"He's madly in love and knows she's The One," a source told Us in October, adding that the actress was "yearning to get married and have kids."

But first, let's just bask in the glow of this new entry to the celebrity engagement ring Hall of Fame, shall we?

Kopelman designed the ring with Graff Diamonds (yes, THE Laurence Graff-owned bling-house that holds some of the world's most valuable rocks - click here for more on that) - and while 4-carats isn't the largest celebrity shiner we've seen by far (Beyonce, anyone?) the $120,000 estimated price tag is certainly Barrymore-esque, to say the least.

 

Want more celebrity engagement ring dish? Stay tuned for my posts on Jessica Biel's engagement ring and (Oops, She Did it Again) - Brit-brit's ring finger bling. (I guess my fantasy of a Justin/Britney reunion is now officially a 90s-era pop-star pipe dream.)
 

And check out the sale I curated on Jewelry.com with some of the top celebrity engagement ring looks for less! We're talking Princess Kate, Ivanka Trump, the (still-married!) Khloe Kardashian and more!

Is Kat Von D Engaged to Jesse James?

Update to original post of September3, 2010): Well, it's official. Jesse James and Kat Von D are engaged, according to People. The vintage(?) diamond ring I spotted on her back in September must have been the real deal. Seems a little fast if you ask me. Hmmm...

Call me crazy, but that is, indeed, a diamond on Kat Von D's ring finger, right?

The heavily-inked artist was out in LA celebrating both the opening of her new gallery, Wonderland, and her new relationship with Sandra Bullock's lying, cheating ex - Jesse James - when photogs snapped a few close-up shots of what appears to be a lovely vintage diamond engagement ring.

While it's no surprise the tattooed twosome found some things in common, they only started dating a month ago - and James' heavily covered cheating scandal still smells like a rat.

But - hey. To each their own.

So far, they say they are just dating. But when People asked Von D if James is 'The One", she told the mag, "I believe he is, so yeah."

Hmmmm....

What do you guys think? Is this a fashion ring or the real deal? Wonder what Sandra thinks of her ex's new gal pal?

Celebrities 'Ring' In the New Year

From Reese Witherspoon to Vivica Fox - celebs were the lucky recipients of some rockin' rings this holiday season. Here is a run down of some of the best and brightest celebrity rings making news this week - each representing emerging trends in the ring category for 2011.

1. Legally Blonde Gets Luxury Bling

Reese Witherspoon is getting a second chance at love - and a news-worthy diamond engagement ring to seal the deal. Reese's rock is special not so much for the size (4-carats isn't HUGE by Hollywood's standards) but for the quality and cut of the stone.

Fiance and Hollywood Agent, Jim Toth, designed the ring using an Ashoka-cut center stone - a special 62-facet cut that only 10% of rough diamonds mined can support. Cushions and Ascchers 'made the cut' most often in 2010, so look for this special shape to surge in the months to come. (Jewelry.com has more on the Ashoka cut here).

2. LeeAnn Rimes Gets Personal

LeeAnn Rimes's engagement to Eddie Cibrian is no longer notable for the scandalous way these two found love - but for the stunning 5-carat custom-made engagement ring that now makes them legit. The ring also features single cut pave diamonds and tiny rose cut diamonds set in rose gold fleur-de-lis that are connected to the band.

Jeweler Brent Polacheck, who crafted the ring for his childhood friend Cibrian, tells PEOPLE:

“Le[Ann]‘s participation in the design was solely regarding the Fleur de Lis. She had her heart set on having that incorporated in the ring. Other than that, Eddie and I sat down multiple times and worked on the rest of the details.”

The New York Times reported this 'personalization' trend is going to continue to surge when it comes to ring finger bling design. I love it.


3. Vivica Fox's Cougar Catch

News just broke that 46-year-old Vivica Fox got engaged to 27-year-old club promoter, Omar 'Slim' White over the holidays with a whopping 8-carat diamond rock worth an estimated $150,000.

A source told People that Fox, 46, "is over the moon – so excited, so in love" with White, who wants to have children.

Fox was so excited that she Tweeted a video of her sparkler for all the fans - a great way for all of us to share our good fortune, right? Diamonds (and social media) are a girl's best friend for 2011.

3. Christina Aguilera's Boyfriend Bling

Not everyone brought home rings that mean 'we're in it for the long haul' this holiday. Recently divorced Christina Aguilera reportedly got a ring from her new boyfriend, Matt Rutler, to simply celebrate her 30th birthday (December 18th).

I haven't been able to find any more details about the design, but this does get me thinking: Is the 'boyfriend ring' or 'birthday ring' a possible new trend?

Usually rings given from boyfriends to girlfriends bring with them an expectation of commitment. But I wonder if it could also just mean 'Here's a ring. It looks cool. No expectations."?

Thoughts?

Celebrity Engagement Blitz

Celebrity engagement news is breaking big today! Here's the scoop:

From "Black Swan" to Baby Momma:

Not only is Natalie Portman engaged to her (gorgeous!) choreographer boyfriend, Benjamin Millepied, they're also expecting their first child. The Black Swan star met her hubby-to-be on the set last year (he choreographed all of her numbers), and the Oscar buzz is building along with her little ballet-dancing bun in the oven.

Portman has been on the red carpet all month promoting the film (and Dior's new perfume), but despite a mention of 'eating a lot' lately - this news is a total shock.

No ring sighting yet, but stay tuned.

Hef's Getting Hitched:

The other shocker today is news that everyone's favorite bachelor octogenarian popped the question to his 24-year-old playmate girlfriend, Crystal Harris.

"After the movie tonight, Crystal & I exchanged gifts. I gave Crystal a ring. A truly memorable Christmas Eve," Hefner, 84, tweeted. "When I gave Crystal the ring, she burst into tears. This is the happiest Christmas weekend in memory."

Later, he clarified, "Yes, the ring I gave Crystal is an engagement ring. I didn't mean to make a mystery out of it. A very merry Christmas to all."

What kind of ring exactly remains to be seen, but my guess is Hef will make sure his bunny's got enough 'carats' to keep her satisfied.

But celebs aren't the only folks with romance on their minds. With New Year's Eve around the corner, many questions have yet to be popped. So fellas? If you need a little nudge in the right direction - check out the amazing post-Christmas engagement ring deals on sample sale sites like JewelClub.

And check out my 'Affordable Engagement Ring' guide here for more sparkling solutions.

In the meantime, congrats to the happy couples!

Vanessa Minnillo Flashes Engagement Ring

Vanessa Minillo finally got a diamond engagement ring from Nick Lachey last week and like any woman who has to wait six years - she's flashing it all over the place.

The happy couple is celebrating their birthdays (yeah, they were both born on the same day, Nov. 9th!) on the beaches of Mexico, and the paps have captured many a pic of a bikini-clad Vanessa sporting an Asscher-cut diamond and platinum ring from jewelers Bader & Garrin worth an estimated $125,000.

 

But any news of Nick Lachey has to include a Jessica Simpson snippet, right? Despite their failed marriage, their groundbreaking MTV reality show detailing the early days of their young love won the hearts of millions (including yours truly). And apparently news of Nick's engagement hit poor Jess hard.

 

"Even though Jessica wants to be happy for Nick, this is a very difficult time for her," a friend of Simpson's tells popeater.com. "Nick was the love of her life then, man, and he was her first, so she will always have a very special place in her heart for him. She's deeply saddened."

 

Sigh. 

 

But life goes on. And so does our celebrity-diamond watch. Who will be next to get the ring rock? Jessica Biel? Jessica Simpson? Weigh in!

Cushion-Cut Craze Goes Courtside

Maria Sharapova's diamond engagement ring photos are making the rounds this week, and it looks like we've got another cushion-cut cutie on our hands.

US Weekly reports the tennis phenom is wearing a 7 or 8-carat cushion-cut stone in a platinum setting with a price tag of approximately $250,000. Her Los Angeles Laker fiance, Sasha Vujacic popped the question in his Manhattan Beach home a while ago, but the ring is making its first appearance in shots like these taken during an afternoon stroll in Los Angeles last Sunday.

So why are celebs like Ivanka Trump, Anna Paquin, Alyssa Milano and Ashlee Simpson opting for the cushion-cut over, say, the more popular round-cut diamond engagement ring?

The cushion cut dates back to the 1800s and derived its shape from the fact that back then cutters were not capable of making a perfectly round stone, according to Jewelry.com. 

Today, the square shape is marked by a more affordable price point than the traditional and more frequently seen round stones - unless you're going for a whopper like those seen on Hollywood ring fingers.  Once we're in the 7-8-carat range, folks, saving money is clearly not on the agenda.

I think it's because the cushion offers more of a vintage-y feel over the sleek lines of the traditional (read: boring) round stone?

Here are a few of my favorite cushion-cuts here for your browsing pleasure. The good news is: You don't have to walk down the aisle to wear one - and they come in a variety of stone variations outside of the diamond category.

You like?

Joe and the Giant Rock

Girls will definitely go wild for the huge diamond engagement ring Joe Francis recently presented to his fiance, Christina McLarty, a Los Angeles entertainment reporter.

The Girls Gone Wild CEO commissioned one of my favorite jewelry designers, Loree Rodkin, to create the ring - and she knocked it out of the park with a nine-carat rock in a diamond pave band with diamonds surrounding the center stone, according to Luxist. And the price tag? Just under half a mil.

Guess there's a lot of money to be made from, um, girls going wild.

Rodkin created jewelry for Elton John, Cher and Steven Tyler, but her most famous client is Michelle Obama - who wore her diamond drop earrings and a diamond cuff bracelet with that stunning Jason Wu gown to all the inauguration festivities (which seems like a lifetime ago).

Click here for more rockin' Rodkin styles - and stay tuned for more Venice Film Festival jewelry sightings! (Insert my go-go dancing Kate Hudson "Cinema Italiano!" impression here.)

Anna Paquin's Wedding Ring Revealed!

Sookie Stackhouse (aka Anna Paquin) said 'I do' to her favorite vampire, Stephen 'SSSSooookie No!" Moyer this weekend in a Malibu wedding fit for all creatures alive and undead.

Her wedding ring was spotted by the paps today as she flitted about town running errands with her mom. The vintage style was custom-made by jeweler Cathy Waterman, who also designed Moyer's simple wedding band (spotted here while he was skateboarding in LA).

Vampires skateboard?

Vintage diamond engagement rings must be popular with the blood-thirsty set. This vintage style was designed by Twilight author, Stephanie Meyer, as a replica of the ring Edward gives to Bella in the series.


To get a live glimpse of Anna's rocks, the happy couple will be presenting at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Sunday with True Blood costar Alexander Skarsgard. (Come tweet with me and a bunch of other fab jewelry bloggers during the red carpet shenanigans - using #emmyjewelry hashtag)

Here's hoping they all come out like this!

Affordable Engagement Rings

Buying a diamond engagement ring can be the most important (and stressful) jewelry purchase you can make. While the standard protocol requires fellas to shell out two months' salary, for many folks that's about as realistic as finding true love on "The Bachelorette".

So what do you do when you want to tie the knot without breaking the bank? Some thoughts:

1. Vintage Value

Diamond divas never utter the word 'used'. It's vintage, dahling - and there are many deals to be had in this diamond engagement ring category. Plus you can satisfy the 'eco-friendly' urge since you're buying a rock that's already in the coffers. But be careful to have it appraised before you pull the trigger.

2. Color Your World

This is my favorite emerging engagement ring trend - wearing a gemstone instead of a diamond. Prince Charles gave a stunning sapphire to Diana back in the day and now millions of women are wearing their favorite colored stone instead of the traditional white ice.

I found this stunning sapphire ring on sample sale site, JewelClub - originally $859 now (gulp) only $231.48 with their crazy discount (use the code: INSIDER to become a free 'friends and family' member).

3. Shop Clearance

With a little time and a creative eye, anyone can find a deal so great they'll be telling that story to friends and fam instead of how Jimmy popped the question. While there are a host of credible outlets for discount diamonds, check out JewelClub first. This classic pear-shaped ring is $462.74 down from $2129. Yowza.

4. Palladium: "The Other White Metal"

No longer the forgotten step-child of the precious metal world, palladium is emerging from the shadows as a (MUCH) more affordable option than gold. It looks like platinum or white gold - but it costs much less per ounce. And it's just as durable.

This 1/2carat palladium solitaire on JewelClub is only $572 down from $2649.

So what have we learned? Clearly some engagement rings traditions are meant to be broken - especially in this economy. You really can find a ring you love that doesn't cost the equivalent of a small sedan.

Here's to true love, diamond deals...and more room in the budget for an island honeymoon with fruity cocktails! Happy Friday the 13th, jewelry hounds!

Chelsea Clinton's Wedding Jewelry

Chelsea Clinton's diamond engagement ring is one of the most sought-after styles of the summer, so it comes as no surprise that the blogosphere is abuzz with details about the rocks she'll wear down the aisle tomorrow.

Will she go the American princess route in a diamond tiara like Carrie Underwood did on her big day?


Or will she keep things classic and timeless like last year's A-list bride, Ivanka Trump?

What we do know from ABC News is that the rumored jewelry budget is upwards of $250,000 - enough to bring on even more security for the Rhinebeck, NY nuptials.

And Momma Clinton, now that she's got better things to do than avoid a nuclear holocaust, was spotted toting that light-blue indicator of deep-pocketed taste - a Tiffany bag - to Chelsea's building earlier today. Things are starting to look delicious already.

And while you know my favorite bridal buzz is all about the bling, this hilarious budget item comes a close second:

The Clintons are spending $15,000 for heated port-o-potties with classical music chimed in for good measure. Because what's a port-o-potty experience without a little Puccini, right?

Stay tuned for more Chelsea Clinton wedding details! I didn't get an invite - neither did President Obama, ok? - but I'll be on the hunt for all the latest dish.

Speaking of, did you hear the Bristol Palin/Levi Johnston wedding may be off? You'll never guess why...

'Neil Lane Bridal' Tickles Tinseltown

Celebrity jeweler, Neil Lane, never met a Hollywood wedding he didn't bedazzle, so his client list is long and loaded with heavy hitters like Ellen Degeneres, Nicole Richie and the entire Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise.

Last Thursday, the designer celebrated his new, moderately priced bridal collection with Kay Jewelers at a Hollywood fete, and the red carpet was loaded with leading ladies.

The 'cutest couple' award goes to Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, who showed off their Neil Lane wedding bands.

Ashlee Simpson Wentz flashed her 4-carat Neil Lane engagement ring from rocker hubby, Pete Wentz, while confessing of her sister, Jessica, "She is happy, so we are all really happy."


Kristin Davis showed up in black and white diamonds, confessing to reporters that a 3rd SATC movie is 'unlikely'. (Ya think?)



And Eva Longoria Parker stunned in black Gustavo Cadile and loads of diamond ice.


I think the Neil Lane Bridal collection is the perfect way for humble grooms to give a celebrity twist to the bended knee ritual thanks to prices that are hundreds of thousands less than a typical Lane look.

Check out Jewelry.com for more info on the Kay Jewelers/Neil Lane partnership - and check out the vintage-inspired product pics here on kay.com. Yum!