From Taylor Swift to Zendaya, vintage engagement rings are on everyone's mind (and finger)

August 26 was a big day for Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift and their fans collectively. Travis Kelce changed the prophecy when he knelt to the ground and asked Taylor Swift to marry him in a garden brimming with flowers. The Love Story singer finally found her Lover for life in the Kansas City Chiefs', Travis Kelce.

The dreamy proposal came with an old mine diamond ring, which was rounded at the edges and, estimated at somewhere around 10-carats, set in a gold bezel setting and engraved band, all of which is said to be approximately $1 million.

"Taylor Swift’s use of an antique cushion cut diamond in a hand-engraved yellow gold setting has intensified the interest in 'vintage maximalism', particularly old mine and antique cuts known for their artistry and individuality," says Neeti Patwa, jeweller and founder of Oropel Jewels. "This shift reflects a broader cultural turn toward pieces rich in texture, detail, and heritage, jewellery that tells a story rather than merely dazzles."

2025 has been the year for big diamonds, but not ones that flash in the limelight. Instead, they're all about sparkling in their quiet reflection, carrying an aura of their own. Earlier this year, Zendaya appeared on the Golden Globes red carpet sporting a horizontally set diamond east-west ring. Sources close to the Dune actress confirmed her engagement with her Spiderman boyfriend, Tom Holland, who proposed to her with a 4-carat elongated cushion-cut natural diamond in a Georgian-style button-back setting, causing a storm online. 

Late 2024, saw speculations of Dua Lipa being engaged to the British actor, Callum Turner. The Albanian-origin pop sensation confirmed her engagement in June 2025, in an interview with a leading publication. The customised ring adorning Lipa's finger was handpicked by Turner and had creative inputs from Lipa's sister and friends. The oval-cut diamond in its vintage-inspired bezel setting of the ring is a prove that modern design and timeless elegance can coexist.

"Dua and Zendaya also lean into warm, vintage diamond aesthetics, mixing art deco inspiration and yellow gold complexity that feel both nostalgic and fresh," says Oropel Jewels' Neeti Patwa. According to Patwa, coloured gemstones and vintage cuts are about to be big in engagement rings. Tiara Dhody, founder of Treasures by Tiara, agrees with her. “Expect to see more unique shapes, elongated cushions, movals, asymmetric cuts, paired with striking, detailed gold bands,” says Dhody. "'Timeless and organic, it’s less about precision and more about warmth and individuality, made even bolder by a chunky yellow-gold band that feels striking and substantial on the finger,” she adds. 

The mother of all vintage engagement rings; the 12-carat sapphire ring, adorned with 14 solitaire diamonds around it, famously worn by Princess Diana is among the most popular vintage ring designs known to this day. In the wake of vintage inspiration in a contemporary setup, the relevance is still fresh as day.  

Not long before the singer, the Taylor Swift of the man's world, Cristiano Ronaldo finally put a ring on his lady love, Georgina Rodriguez, after years of speculation, a giant 37-carat diamond ring adorned with two one-carat diamonds on the side.

While the carats and stories behind them are interesting, it's the design of the rings that has us hooked. Swift's ring, which was designed by Kindred Lubeck of Artifex Fine Jewellery in New York, exudes vintage elegance. Similarly, Zendaya's east-west ring is right out of true romantics' dreams, and we can't have enough of it.

When proposing to his marquise girl, Benny Blanco picked a bespoke marquise diamond engagement ring for his popstar girlfriend, Selena Gomez. Marquise diamonds are a true vintage design with their origins tracing back to the 18th century.

"Of course, not everyone will choose a huge ring (like theirs), but the idea of having something that stands out and tells your story is what people connect with," believes Piyush Gupta, the director at PP Jewellers by Pawan Gupta, placing the meaning behind vintage rings as the primary reason for their popularity. 

It's certain; classic is in, flashy is out.