A Modern Take on a Classic
When Alessandra Ambrosio announced her engagement to Australian jewelry designer Buck Palmer on Aug. 11 with photos from a beachside proposal, all eyes were on her left hand. The ring in question, as analyzed by jewelers, is an elongated cushion-cut diamond estimated at six to seven carats, according to Mallory Shelter of Shelter Jewelry.
Rather than a traditional prong setting, Ambrosio's ring features a bezel setting, which Shelter describes as "a sleek, modern alternative to a more traditional prong setting." The design choice is more than aesthetic; bezel settings are "a more secure setting, protect the edges of the stone and are less likely to snag on clothing," she adds.
The Rise of the Bezel
The bezel's vintage-but-modern appeal is part of a larger movement in celebrity jewelry. Anna-Mieke Anderson, founder and former CEO of MiaDonna, notes a return to "antique-inspired, metal-forward settings" among celebrities. This trend is visible in rings worn by stars like Zendaya, whose ring features a Georgian-inspired button-back design, and Taylor Swift, who sports a vintage yellow-gold bezel with hand engraving.
Asher Wiener, a jeweler who commented on the design, suggests Ambrosio's ring likely has a button back or closed back collet setting, further tying it to this antique aesthetic.
The Details: Gold, Craftsmanship, and Value
The band is yellow gold, almost certainly 18k, which Wiener notes is a strategic choice beyond simple preference. "Gold's warmth reflects up into the diamond and hides a warmer color grade," he explains, making an H or I color diamond appear whiter and more brilliant.
Ambrosio's fiancé, Palmer, is himself a designer in the trade. Anderson speculates that the ring's elegant, timeless design suggests Palmer likely crafted it himself. This detail has significant implications for its cost. Anderson estimates the ring's value at $200,000 to $400,000, guessing the diamond is closer to seven carats. Wiener breaks it down further: a natural six-carat diamond around G color and VS clarity would retail for $200,000 to $350,000, while a seven-carat stone with better clarity would exceed $450,000.
However, as Wiener points out, because Palmer can source or create the ring at cost, what he actually paid is likely "a fraction of the numbers being reported."