When you’re ready to take the next step with your loved one, choosing the perfect engagement ring can feel overwhelming. The size, cut and colour of its gemstone can make even an everyday engagement ring a considerable investment.
In the UK, the average amount spent on an engagement ring is £2,419 , while in the US the average spend is $6,351 .
For the rich and famous, however, showing someone you love them can come with an almost unlimited price tag. We researched some of the most expensive celebrity and royal engagement rings in history, then adjusted their reported prices to show what they were worth in 2020.
The world’s three most expensive engagement rings
Ranked by their estimated value after adjusting the original purchase price for inflation to 2020.
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Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco
- Original price $4,060,000
- Adjusted for inflation $38,866,738 / £29,260,241
- Designer Cartier
Fashion icon Grace Kelly was known for her exquisite taste in clothing and jewellery, so it is fitting that her engagement ring was equally remarkable.
Prince Rainier III of Monaco presented Kelly with the 10.47-carat, emerald-cut Cartier diamond in 1956. Its reported $4.06 million price would have been worth nearly $39 million in 2020.
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Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Aristotle Onassis
- Original price $2,600,000
- Adjusted for inflation $19,454,276 / £14,645,860
- Designer Harry Winston
Former First Lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis takes second place. Aristotle Onassis proposed in 1968 with a 15-carat Harry Winston diamond reportedly costing $2.6 million.
After adjusting the original price for inflation, the ring was estimated to be worth more than $19.4 million in 2020.
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Mariah Carey and James Packer
- Original price $10,000,000
- Adjusted for inflation $10,849,184 / £8,167,645
- Designer Wilfredo Rosado
James Packer proposed to Mariah Carey in 2016 with a 35-carat diamond ring designed by Wilfredo Rosado. Its reported $10 million purchase price makes it one of the most expensive celebrity engagement rings ever bought.
Although the engagement did not last, the ring remains part of celebrity jewellery history. Its estimated inflation-adjusted value reached more than $10.8 million in 2020.
The 50 most expensive engagement rings
Select any column heading to sort the rankings. Select it again to reverse the order.
Prices are reported estimates in US dollars. Inflation-adjusted values are calculated in 2020 dollars.
View and share the full infographic| 1 | Grace Kelly | 1956 | $4,060,000 | $38,866,738 |
| 2 | Jackie Kennedy Onassis | 1968 | $2,600,000 | $19,454,276 |
| 3 | Mariah Carey | 2016 | $10,000,000 | $10,849,184 |
| 4 | Anna Kournikova | 2004 | $5,400,000 | $7,443,596 |
| 5 | Paris Hilton | 2005 | $4,700,000 | $6,266,378 |
| 6 | Beyoncé | 2008 | $5,000,000 | $6,047,013 |
| 7 | Vanessa Bryant | 2003 | $4,000,000 | $5,660,609 |
| 8 | Jennifer Lopez | 2004 | $4,000,000 | $5,513,774 |
| 9 | Jennifer Lopez | 2019 | $5,000,000 | $5,092,526 |
| 10 | Kim Kardashian | 2013 | $4,000,000 | $4,471,005 |
| 11 | Melania Trump | 2004 | $3,000,000 | $4,135,331 |
| 12 | Catherine Zeta-Jones | 1999 | $2,500,000 | $3,907,383 |
| 13 | Alexa Dell | 2017 | $3,000,000 | $3,186,864 |
| 14 | Blake Lively | 2012 | $2,500,000 | $2,835,309 |
| 15 | Ciara | 2016 | $2,500,000 | $2,712,296 |
| 16 | Serena Williams | 2016 | $2,000,000 | $2,169,837 |
| 17 | Paris Hilton | 2018 | $2,000,000 | $2,073,921 |
| 18 | Katie Holmes | 2005 | $1,500,000 | $1,999,908 |
| 19 | Jennifer Lopez | 2002 | $1,200,000 | $1,736,885 |
| 20 | Kate Upton | 2016 | $1,500,000 | $1,627,378 |
| 21 | Hilary Duff | 2010 | $1,000,000 | $1,194,134 |
| 22 | Gabrielle Union | 2013 | $1,000,000 | $1,117,751 |
| 23 | Caroline Wozniacki | 2017 | $1,000,000 | $1,062,288 |
| 24 | Khloé Kardashian | 2009 | $850,000 | $1,031,663 |
| 25 | Katy Perry | 2019 | $1,000,000 | $1,018,505 |
| 26 | Demi Lovato | 2020 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 27 | Amal Clooney | 2014 | $750,000 | $824,932 |
| 28 | Jennifer Garner | 2005 | $500,000 | $666,636 |
| 29 | Kate Middleton | 2010 | $505,000 | $603,037 |
| 30 | Jennifer Aniston | 2012 | $500,000 | $567,062 |
| 31 | Angelina Jolie | 2012 | $500,000 | $567,062 |
| 32 | Iggy Azalea | 2015 | $500,000 | $549,302 |
| 33 | Lady Gaga | 2015 | $500,000 | $549,302 |
| 34 | Cardi B | 2017 | $500,000 | $531,144 |
| 35 | Hailey Baldwin | 2018 | $500,000 | $518,480 |
| 36 | Karlie Kloss | 2018 | $500,000 | $518,480 |
| 37 | Gwyneth Paltrow | 2018 | $500,000 | $518,480 |
| 38 | Gwen Stefani | 2020 | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| 39 | Scarlett Johansson | 2019 | $450,000 | $458,327 |
| 40 | Julianne Hough | 2015 | $350,000 | $384,512 |
| 41 | Katherine Schwarzenegger | 2018 | $350,000 | $362,936 |
| 42 | Rosie Huntington-Whiteley | 2016 | $300,000 | $325,476 |
| 43 | Miley Cyrus | 2017 | $250,000 | $265,572 |
| 44 | Salma Hayek Pinault | 2007 | $200,000 | $251,168 |
| 45 | Pippa Middleton | 2016 | $230,000 | $249,531 |
| 46 | Chrissy Teigen | 2011 | $200,000 | $231,519 |
| 47 | Meghan Markle | 2017 | $210,000 | $223,080 |
| 48 | Carrie Underwood | 2009 | $150,000 | $182,058 |
| 49 | Priyanka Chopra | 2018 | $150,000 | $155,544 |
| 50 | Lea Michele | 2018 | $150,000 | $155,544 |
Methodology
We researched reported prices for some of the most expensive engagement rings in history, focusing on rings belonging to celebrities and members of royal families around the world.
The reported purchase prices were collected from a range of published sources. You can view the research sources and original data here .
Each original purchase price was then adjusted to its estimated value in 2020 using the US Inflation Calculator . Values are estimates based on publicly reported prices and should not be treated as formal jewellery valuations.
Looking for something for your own special day? Explore our collection of wedding jewellery.
