Alessandra Ambrosio’s engagement ring from her Australian jewelry designer fiancé Buck Palmer puts a modern twist on a classic “cushion cut” design.
Its design is also part of a broader trend when it comes to celebrity engagement and wedding rings.
The 45-year-old supermodel announced her engagement to Palmer Aug. 11 on Instagram when she posted several images from the couple’s romantic beachside proposal. She also posted a close up of the engagement ring in another post.
In the pics, Ambrosio flaunts a whopper of a diamond ring on her left ring finger.
“It’s an elongated cushion cut,” Mallory Shelter of Shelter Jewelry tells TODAY.com of the diamond.
As for its size? “Probably six to seven carats,” Shelter estimates.
The diamond is “set in a very classic bezel setting,” says Shelter.
In other words, the ring features a custom-fitted metal rim that wraps around the diamond rather than encasing it in prongs.
“It’s a sleek, modern alternative to a more traditional prong setting,” Shelter explains.
A bezel setting offers “practical advantages, especially with stones of this size.”
“They’re a more secure setting, protect the edges of the stone and are less likely to snag on clothing, which makes it a really comfortable ring to wear,” Shelter adds.
The setting’s style is trendier than ever this year, she continues, noting, “I think we’re seeing a lot of them right now because they give a vintage but modern feel. It’s a great way to have a solitaire style feel more distinctive rather than mainstream.”
The understated, “unfussy” look, Shelter adds, “feels very aligned with the current move toward quieter, more design-forward luxury.”
Anna-Mieke Anderson, founder and former CEO of MiaDonna, says the ring’s vintage look has been trendy with celebrities.
“We are certainly seeing a return to antique-inspired, metal-forward settings,” Anderson tells TODAY.com.