Miley Cyrus has just confirmed her engagement to the musician Maxx Morando, stepping out on the Avatar: Fire & Ash red carpet donning a show stopping – and thoroughly contemporary – gold and diamond chunky ring. In an interview, the Grammy-award winning singer said her new fiancé had got down on one knee during a recent trip to Asia.
"I am not easy to surprise because I love to control every situation and I had completely surrendered and I'm telling you, I was so, so, so surprised," she said. The couple have been dating for four years, following Miley’s divorce from actor Liams Hemsworth in 2019 (coincidentally, he got engaged in September of this year).
During an appearance on Good Morning America, the Flowers singer held up her ring and said that Morando "did good". Hawk-eyed jewellery fans have already identified the rock as being a bespoke, cushion-cut stone on a thick, 14k yellow gold band by designer Jacquie Aiche. As for the price, experts have said it could be worth anywhere between $70,000 and $450,000.
Putting a cool-girl twist on old-money styles, chunky engagement rings with large rocks are having a moment – see Dua Lipa, who just got engaged to the actor Callum Turner with a 5mm thick 18k yellow gold band. Cyrus’s ring is infused with a similarly contemporary feel, with the thicker setting creating more impact than a more traditionally thin band.
This trend has trickled down to us mere mortals, too. “Social media and celebrity influence are undoubtedly shaping expectations,” Brett Ashfar, founder of Hatton Garden jewellers Queensmith, says. “Bigger diamonds are now seen as the standard rather than the exception.” The rise in cost-effective lab grown alternatives has helped usher in a new age of engagement rings.
“Lab grown stones have become more accessible, they’ve reshaped the aesthetic benchmark for what an engagement ring “should” look like,” Ashfar continues. “It’s now commonplace for our clients to be enquiring about 2ct, 3ct, even 4ct diamonds on a daily basis.”
So, perhaps an engagement ring like Miley Cyrus’ isn’t so unattainable after all? If you’re also looking to throw away tradition, I’ve found some engagement rings that offer similarly contemporary cool appeal.
Ernest Jones 14 carat yellow gold eternity 1 carat diamond ring: £4,250, Ernestjones.co.uk
Bold and beautiful, this 14 carat yellow gold engagement ring from market leader Ernest Jones features three rows of baguette and round diamonds, weighing 1 carat. Perfectly chunky, the modern and chic ring is a stellar nod to Miley Cyrus’ style.
H Samuel engagement ring 9 carat yellow gold: £1,099, Hsamuel.co.uk
A relatively affordable name in jewellery, H Samuel began in the 19th century as a watch maker. Nowadays, it's a go-to for timeless engagement rings that tap into trends, without blowing the bank. Case in point: this 9 carat yellow gold ring with a 0.66 carat diamond double halo ring. The centre cluster and striking two halos create sparkly impact.
Vera Wang 18 carat yellow gold 0.69 carat diamond princess cut halo ring: £3,000, Ernestjones.co.uk
This Vera Wang style from Ernest Jones oozes old-money elegance. The 18 carat yellow gold band is cut into a halo silhouette, featuring 29 diamonds around the band and central princess-cut stone. Adding extra opulence, a sapphire is hidden below the diamonds.
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