The Bachelor Engagement Ring! Lots of Bling
Los Angeles, CA – The season finale of The Bachelor saw Sean Lowe propose to Catherine Guidici in a romantic rose ceremony in Thailand. Along with the spoils of winning the heart of Sean, Catherine also walked away with a big piece of rock candy of her own.
It was reported by People that the ring was weighed a total of 3.15 carats and contained 164 small pave round diamonds on the band. According to diamond expert Ira Weissman of truthaboutdiamonds.com, the cushion-cut center stone is about 2 carats, and the remaining 1.15 carats is made up from the pave stones in the halo setting and band. As for the quality, Weissman explains, “It’s hard to judge what the quality is because Neil Lane is probably the only designer who successfully straddles the two worlds of mid to lower range mall-style jewelry stores (Neil Lane Bridal is sold exclusively through Kay Jewelers) and high end luxury fashion — he is always one of the most prolific designers on the red carpet.”
Weissman pointed out that considering that this is Lane’s once-a-year shot to showcase his brand, he most likely went with his high end goods. In that case, the diamond is probably at least a G in color and VS2 in clarity, which would bring the approximate retail value of this ring to $40,000-$50,000.
But if this is Lane’s one time shot at bridal jewelry publicity, why go with the same old halo and pave band style? In last night’s episode, Lane showed Sean five rings – four of which were micro pave halos and the fifth was micro pave without the halo. Those of you who follow the Bachelor and Bachelorette know that this style has been featured in past seasons as well ad nauseum. Isn’t it time for something new, folks?
Chances are good that Lane chose this style for the show because it makes the center diamond pop even more and appear larger in contrast to the surrounding mini-pave set diamonds. This is arguably the main selling point of this setting, as opposed to the understated solitaire setting. Of course, the halos are also beautiful in their own right, as they add extra sparkle and fire to the overall look of the ring. More bling for your TV screen!
When compared with the last several seasons of the show, though, we’re feeling deja-vu for this tired setting style. Maybe next season Lane will debut a new setting, and a bold bachelor will select it.
But in the meantime, let’s not lose perspective on this ring. Taken on its own — without comparing it to previous seasons’ — this ring is truly stunning. We can only hope the same will be true for Sean and Catherine’s upcoming marriage.
Ira Weissman is a diamond industry veteran with nearly a decade of experience at one of the world’s largest diamond polishers. He has traveled the world buying and selling diamonds and now dedicates his time to helping consumers make the most of their diamond buying decisions. He has been featured on Anderson Cooper, CNBC, and has been quoted by MarketWatch, The Village Voice, and BankRate. Visit Truth About Diamonds to educate yourself about diamonds and for free help in your diamond search according to your budget and needs.
Twitter: @diamond_truths
Media Contact:
Karen Ammond
KBC Media
917-379-1430
karen@kbcmedia.com
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