Celebrity Inspired Engagement Rings: How to Get the Red-Carpet Look on Any Budget

Be honest. You've zoomed in on a celebrity's ring photo at least once and thought, "okay, how do I get that?"

You're definitely not the only one. Whenever a big engagement hits the news, people start sending us screenshots within hours. Same question every time, too. Can we make something like this, and please, can it not cost a million dollars?

Good news, it usually can. Strip away the fame and most famous rings come down to a handful of choices: the shape of the stone, how it's set, the metal, and (yeah, okay) the size. Get those right and you've got the look. The price tag is a totally separate thing.

So below we've picked nine rings people ask us about all the time, what makes each one special, and how you'd get a similar look on a normal budget. Then we'll get into the money-saving tricks, a few things to tell your jeweller, and the questions that keep coming up. If you're already thinking about custom engagement rings Vancouver, this is a good place to start.

So What Makes A Ring "Celebrity Inspired"?

Nobody's asking you to clone it. Ever shown a hairdresser a celebrity photo? They don't glue on extensions and call it done, they work out what you actually liked about it and make it suit your face. Rings work kind of the same way.

Maybe it's the shape that got you. Maybe it's the way the stone lies sideways, or that thick buttery gold band. We grab that one thing and build everything else around your diamond, your budget and her hand. Swap even a single detail and the ring feels different, which, frankly, is brilliant news for your bank account. Spend big on the bit she'll notice. Go easy on the rest.

Quick note before we start. The ring details below come from what's been widely reported in the press, so carat weights are estimates and sources don't always agree. We're not connected to any of these people. This is purely about style ideas.

Learn More: Diamond Engagement Ring Styles & Settings Explained

9 Famous Rings (And How To Get The Look)

1. Taylor Swift: The Antique Cushion

When Travis Kelce proposed in August 2025, the internet basically melted. Her ring has an elongated antique-style cushion cut, set in 18K yellow gold with hand engraving on the setting, and it was reportedly designed by Kindred Lubeck of Artifex Fine Jewelry. Experts have guessed anywhere up to about 10 carats.

Getting close to this one is easier than people expect. Elongated cushion, or an old-cut style stone if you want that soft candlelight sparkle. Warm yellow gold. Then ask us about engraving or a row of milgrain beads on the setting, because honestly that's the bit that makes it look like it came out of a great-grandmother's velvet box.

2. Zendaya: The Sideways Cushion

Remember the Golden Globes, January 2025? Half the internet spent the night zooming in on Zendaya's left hand. It's a cushion cut, reportedly about 5 carats, lying sideways across the finger rather than pointing up at her nail. Most people say Jessica McCormack made it (nobody's officially confirmed that), and east-west searches went a bit mad afterwards.

Here's the fun part. Rotating a stone ninety degrees costs you nothing extra. Cushion, oval, emerald, whatever you like, ask for it east-west and boom, same look at a carat that won't make you cry.

Learn More: Why Elongated Diamond Shapes Are Trending

3. Selena Gomez: The Marquise

Benny Blanco proposed in December 2024 with a big marquise solitaire on a yellow gold band, with small diamonds running along the band too. Estimates for the centre stone run from roughly 5 to 8 carats. Marquise sales went up a lot after that, which surprised exactly nobody.

Marquise diamonds are great for this, because their long pointy shape makes them look bigger than they weigh. A 1.5 or 2 carat marquise can look properly dramatic. Just make sure the pointy tips are protected with V-prongs.

4. Hailey Bieber: The Oval Solitaire

Probably the ring that kicked off the whole oval craze. Her original 2018 ring was a large oval solitaire on a slim band, estimated at somewhere between 6 and 10 carats. She later got an upgraded oval from Lorraine Schwartz around their vow renewal.

Of all nine, this is probably the simplest to pull off. Find an oval whose shape makes you go "ooh" (some are chubby, some are long and skinny, so look at a few), stick it on a thin band with simple claws, and if you fancy a secret, tuck a hidden halo underneath.

Learn More: Round Vs Oval Diamond Engagement Rings: Which Should You Choose?

5. Beyoncé: The Emerald Cut

18 carats. That's the size Jay-Z reportedly went with, an emerald cut by Lorraine Schwartz. Those long flat facets give it this cool, glassy, looking-into-a-swimming-pool kind of flash. Very Grace Kelly.

Thankfully you can get the feeling at 1.5 or 2 carats on a skinny platinum or white gold band. One catch, though. Emerald cuts are a bit like a clean window, every smudge shows, so this is the one shape where we'd tell you not to skimp on clarity.

Learn More: Why Choose an Emerald Cut Diamond Engagement Ring?

6. Megan Fox: The Toi Et Moi

Her 2022 ring, designed by Stephen Webster, puts two pear-shaped stones side by side: an emerald for her birthday month and a diamond for his. The two bands are covered in pavé and were described as "thorns" that come together to form a heart. Very dramatic. Very them.

You can keep the idea and make it softer. Two pears, two different stones, maybe her birthstone next to a diamond, on a simple band. Thorns optional, obviously.

Learn More: Top Toi et Moi Ring Designs That Will Inspire You

7. Jennifer Lopez: The Green Diamond

Ben Affleck's 2022 proposal ring has a green diamond in the middle (people reckon it's about 8.5 carats) and a white trillion, sort of a rounded triangle, on each side. Why green? She's said it's her lucky colour. Kind of lovely, that.

Trouble is, natural green diamonds are rarer than hen's teeth. So if green's her thing, we'd point you to a green sapphire, an emerald, or a lab-grown coloured stone. We'd do this one custom, since tracking down the right shade can take a little detective work.

8. Meghan Markle: The Royal Three-Stone

Prince Harry designed her ring himself. A cushion-cut centre diamond from Botswana sits between two round diamonds from Princess Diana's collection, originally on a yellow gold band (it's since been redesigned with a pavé band).

You don't need royal connections for this one. Cushion or round in the middle, a smaller round on each side, done, and it works at almost any budget. Got grandma's old ring sitting in a drawer? Pop one of its stones in as a side diamond and suddenly your ring has a story too.

9. Princess Diana And Kate Middleton: The Sapphire Halo

If you only know one engagement ring by sight, it's probably this. Big oval blue sapphire, usually quoted at 12 carats, ringed by 14 diamonds. Diana picked it in 1981, and years later William used the very same ring to propose to Kate.

Funny thing? This is one of the cheapest famous looks to copy. Blue sapphires are way cheaper than diamonds of the same size. Oval sapphire, little diamond halo, white gold or platinum, job done.

Getting The Look Without A Celebrity Bank Account

Okay, deep breath. A bunch of the rings above are 8, 10, even 18 carats. You won't need anything like that, promise.

Lab-grown is where we'd start. They're actual diamonds (same carbon, same fire, same toughness), only grown in a lab rather than mined, and they tend to cost a good deal less than a mined stone of matching size and quality. Nothing else gets you a "whoa, that's big" ring for less. Loads of our couples choose a lab grown diamond ring Vancouver and spend what's left over on a bigger stone or a nicer setting.

Learn More: Lab Grown Diamonds in Vancouver: A Local Buyer's Guide

Shape is sneaky too. Put a 1.5 carat oval next to a 1.5 carat round and the oval usually looks bigger, because more of it is spread out across the top of the finger. Same goes for pears, marquise and emerald cuts. So if "looks big" is the brief, choose the shape first, then worry about carats.

Learn More: What Diamond Shape Looks the Biggest on a Finger?

What about the grades? Cut is what your eye notices from across the dinner table. A beautifully cut G or H colour, VS clarity stone looks great to most people and costs noticeably less than the very top grades, which frees up money for size.

Little extras add up fast as well. 14K gold costs less than 18K or platinum and copes fine with daily life. Heavy pavé, extra side stones, fancy galleries? Lovely, sure, but each one nudges the price. Honestly, one stunning stone on a plain band usually looks more "red carpet" than something busy.

Learn More: How to Set a Budget for an Engagement Ring

Ready-To-Ship Or Made Just For Her?

Proposal in three weeks? Ready-to-ship is your friend. You pick the closest match to the ring you love and take it home. The downside is you're stuck with whatever's already been made.

Custom takes longer, but you get to decide everything. For a celebrity-inspired ring that's usually the better way to go, since you can start from the photo and tweak whatever doesn't suit her, the shape, how long or chunky the stone is, band width, metal, size. Funny enough, a lot of people end up liking their version more than the famous one.

Learn More: Custom vs Ready-Made Engagement Rings

What To Tell Your Jeweller

Screenshots, and lots of them. One Instagram photo with a filter on it can make a ring look totally different from real life. Then try to pin down what grabbed you. Was it the shape? The yellow gold? That sideways stone? The chunky band? Once we know, we can tell you where your money should go.

And please, mention your budget early. Nobody's judging. It just lets us be straight with you about how close we can get. A few small tweaks, like a slightly longer or shorter stone or a thinner band, can honestly make the idea look better on her hand than it ever did on a celebrity.

Questions We Hear All The Time

Can I Really Get A Famous Look On A Normal Budget?

Most people do! Go lab-grown, pick a shape that looks big, keep the setting simple, and you'll be amazed how close you get.

Which Celebrity Shapes Are People Asking For Most?

Ovals and elongated cushions, by a mile, think Hailey, Taylor and Zendaya. Marquise has had a moment too, ever since Selena's ring.

Could You Just Copy A Famous Ring Exactly?

We'd rather make something inspired by it. Same shape, same setting idea, same feel, just built around your stone, your budget and her taste.

Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Okay For This Kind Of Ring?

Absolutely. Without lab equipment nobody can tell them apart from mined diamonds, and your money stretches a lot further.

How Long Will A Custom Ring Take?

Depends how fancy the design is and how quickly we find the right stone. Got a proposal date already? Tell us on day one and we'll work backwards from it.

Can I Bring A Celebrity Ring Photo To SMC Diamonds In Vancouver?

Please do! That's honestly one of our favourite ways to start. We'll talk through what you love about it and turn it into a 3D design before anything gets made.

Final Thoughts

Copying a celebrity exactly is kind of missing the point. Take one idea you love, a sideways cushion, a skinny marquise, a big blue sapphire, and let the rest be about her.

Whatever made you stop scrolling, start there. Put your money into the stone and the cut, and give lab-grown a fair look if it gets you closer. Famous rings are fun to stare at online. The one on her finger every morning is the one that actually matters.