Why Lady Gaga's Heart-Shaped Ring is So Rare

Lady Gaga’s heart-shaped engagement ring. Photo: @ladygaga/Instagram

Lady Gaga has always had her accessories game down pat. She is responsible for some of the most iconic costumes and fashion statements of the past decade; we’ve seen her twinkle like a star, wear a giant egg, and drape herself in lean cuts of beef. Yesterday, she showed the world her most important accessory yet: a sparkling engagement ring from her hunky boyfriend, Taylor Kinney.

Kinney popped the question on Valentine’s Day with what appears to be close to a 10-carat heart shaped diamond solitaire set on a delicate micro-pave band. Gaga announced their engagement via Instagram, “He gave me his heart on Valentine’s Day, and I said YES!” and we promptly predicted what she might wear for the occasion. But about that ring…

For a woman whose wig collection easily numbers into the thousands, a standout engagement ring was a must. Warren Anapolsky, a jeweler based in Sacramento, California says that heart-shaped diamonds of that size are exceedingly rare. “Right now in the wholesale market, there are under 20 heart shaped diamonds between nine and 12 carats. That makes hers even more valuable.”

Kinney clearly brushed up on the four c’s—cut, clarity, color, carat—when picking out the ring, as it looks to be of impeccable clarity. Its sparkle indicates an intricate, well-cut stone. “Hearts are unique and I don’t see them often. But they are cut like any other shape, from a larger raw stone,” Anapolsky says. “A diamond of that caliber, size and clarity could easily run upwards of $500,000. But of course, I’d have to see it to be certain.”

When picking out a heart diamond, perfect symmetry is integral. The stone can be cut like a pear shape with a notch on top, or as a modified round diamond, and they’re made up of 59 unique facets. “Her stone is very balanced,” Anapolsky said. “The width of the stone is an important factor to consider. Lady Gaga’s appears to be wide and perfectly symmetrical, making it all the more brilliant.”

Many famous women opt for large cushion or oval shapes (from Kim Kardashian to Blake Lively), but Gaga’s romantic heart-shaped ring isn’t unprecedented: Queen Elizabeth was sent a heart-shaped diamond ring by Mary Queen of Scots in 1562. For hundreds of years these difficult to shape diamonds were sent between royalty as a symbol of good will and friendship, and then morphed into the sentimental tokens they are today once more advanced diamond cutting instruments were utilized in the early 20th century.

As of late, Gaga’s style has evolved from the outright avant-garde to a softer, more refined elegance. And though she remains committed to expressing herself through high fashion, she’s recently adopted a more romantic sensibility—and both approaches are perfectly captured in her new ring. It complements a casual pants-less afternoon just as well as it does skin-tight sequins, or even meat—should she choose to bring that back.

Related: The Many Looks of Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney are Engaged! What Should She Wear to the Wedding?

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