Just one day after the public announcement of her engagement, the pop superstar’s sparkler has already cemented its legacy in pop culture. What are the other iconic rings?
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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have set the internet ablaze with news of their engagement, and all eyes have been on the ring.
According to US reports, Kelce worked with New York designer Kindred Lubeck of Artifex Fine Jewelry to design the ring and since the news of the engagement broke, the designer’s website has essentially sold out.
That’s Swiftie power for you, and just one day after the public announcement, the pop superstar’s ring has already cemented its legacy in pop culture.
Here are Euronews Culture’s picks of the rings Taylor’s sparkler joins…
Marilyn Monroe’s engagement rings
Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes – Monroe’s engagement ring
20th Century Fox – screenshot Christie’s
Marilyn Monroe wore two iconic rings that have remained anchored in pop culture history. The first is fictional, as the “Blond Bombshell” wore it in the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. It’s a rhinestone crystal engagement ring Monroe’s character Loralei Lee flaunts in the film. Monroe reportedly kept it after filming as a souvenir of her “first big film.” The second is the real engagement ring that New York Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio proposed with – an eternity band that featured a continuous line of 36 baguette-cut diamonds. Sadly, the marriage with DiMaggio was short-lived and it was sold at auction in 1999 for $772,500.
Jackie Kennedy’s toi et moi
Jackie Kennedy
AP Photo – Pinterest
Another historical engagement sparkler, this time courtesy of Jackie Kennedy. JFK settled on a toi et moi ring from Van Cleef & Arpels in New York which featured two stones: a 2.84-carat emerald-cut emerald and a 2.88 carat emerald-cut diamond. It was estimated to be worth over $1 million at the time of purchase in 1953. The ring, which was reset in 1962 to include round diamonds totaling .66 carats and marquise diamonds totaling 1.46 carats, is now preserved at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.
Elizabeth Taylor’s Krupp Diamond ring
Elizabeth Taylor (and Richard Burton)
AP Photo – screenshot Christie’s
Elizabeth Taylor was married eight times, so her engagement ring collection was stacked. Probably the most famous is the one Richard Burton proposed with for the first time in 1964, as the fiery pair with a flair for the dramatic wed twice (the second time in 1975). He picked an emerald cut stunner known as the Krupp Diamond – a bold, 33.19-carat vintage Asscher-cut. Known as the “skating rink” for its huge size, the ring sold at Christies Auction in 2011 for a staggering $8,818,500. For reference, the second Taylor-Burton ring was even larger, with what was then called the Taylor-Burton Diamond: a 69.42-carat pear-shaped rock which Taylor had reset into a necklace and wore at the 1970 Academy Awards.
Elvis Presley’s TCB ring
Elvis – TCB
AP Photo – screenshot Shop Elvis
Temporarily moving away from engagement bands, one ring which is one of music culture’s most treasured items is The King’s ostentatious “TCB ring”. Standing for “Taking Care of Business” – Elvis’ favourite motto – the rock ‘n’ roll legend had several made by his longtime jeweler Lowell Hays. The original piece, designed by Presley himself, features black onyx, gold, a 7.56-carat round-cut diamond and two lightning bolt emblems. Elvis revealed that he paid $40,000 for the ring during a 1975 concert. Hays still reproduces the iconic design using the original mold, and much cheaper versions are available on Presley’s merchandise websites.
Princess Diana’s engagement ring
Princess Diana
AP Photo
Last engagement ring, promise. Charles proposed to Diana in 1981 with a Ceylon sapphire engagement ring in 1981 and the band, featuring the 12-carat oval-cut sapphire encircled by 14 diamonds, remains her most iconic piece of jewellery. The ring’s original price was £28,000. Today, it is estimated to be worth upwards of £300,000. Diana’s engagement ring was passed down to her daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton.
The evil SPECTRE ring
SPECTRE rings
United Artists – MGM
James Bond’s foes – at least those who belong to the criminal organisation SPECTRE -have a unique way of remaining secretive: they announce they’re devious bastards by parading their allegiance on their digits. To be fair, rings have been used in espionage for centuries; during World War II, signet rings with hidden compartments were common for smuggling hidden messages. Still, hardly very subtle vanity antics from SPECTRE. The original ring first appeared in From Russia With Love in 1963, worn by Ernst Stavro Blofeld, and it was later seen on the hands of evil agents in Thunderball and You Only Live Twice. It features an octopus – a symbol representing the organisation’s reach and menace (tentacles in a lot of pies, if you will) – although many believe it’s a ghost, which would be more fitting considering the cabal’s chosen designation. The ring was later redesigned for the Daniel Craig era, looking more streamlined and less ostentatious. Although more subtle, the original ring still beats the new aesthetic. Go big or go home.
The Keith Richards skull ring
Keith and his famous skull ring
Courts and Hackett – Jean Pagluiso
The Rolling Stones guitarist (and suspected immortal music legend), Keith Richards has a few recognizable pieces of jewellery he likes to wear, including a silver skull ring. Both a symbol of rock ‘n’ roll rebellion and a memento mori, the ring designed by Courts and Hackett has become his emblem of sorts. He first started wearing it in the late 1970s and since then, Richard’s ring has inspired countless other musicians and celebrities – including Johnny Depp. Depp based his character of Jack Sparrow on Richards and, rather fittingly, the two starred opposite each other as father and son in 2007’s Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.
Captain Planet’s Planeteer rings
Captain Planet’s Planeteers
TBS – screenshot YouTube
Pivoting to cartoon rings, we move to the beloved (and prescient) 90s show Captain Planet and the Planeteers. Picture the scene: Gaia, the spirit of the Earth, is in danger due to mankind’s destructive ways. She sends five magic rings to five youngsters, who will fight to preserve the planet from environmental threats. Kwame’s ring has the power of earth; Wheeler’s fire; Linka’s wind; Gi’s water; and Ma-Ti got the jackpot ring, since it has the power of heart – meaning he can telepathically chat to animals. And yes, despite what many choose to believe and the fact it’s the least offensively capable band, that last one is the most important ring. When the five teens combine their ring power, they summon EARTH’S GREATEST CHAMPION: CAPTAIN PLANET! If you’re not singing along to the theme tune in your head right now, take a long hard look in the mirror and go do some research.
Twin Peaks’ Owl Cave ring
The Owl Ring in Fire Walk With Me
AMLF
This mysterious gold and jade ring engraved with the owl petroglyph is a recurring totem in David Lynch’s seminal TV show Twin Peaks. Seen in both the series and the film Fire Walk With Me, this enigmatic ring has supernatural powers and is linked to the Black Lodge. Co-creator Mark Frost created a fascinating mythology for the ring – one too long and rich to be resumed here. If you’re interested in its origins, check out his book “The Secret History of Twin Peaks”. To keep things brief, the ring’s functions are three-fold: it can protect the wearer from harm; mark you for death courtesy of BOB; and, as seen in the third season of the show, pulls you away from reality and transports your soul to the Waiting Room. It’s all very knotty if you’re not a die-hard Cooperholic, but it’s a fascinating piece of pop culture jewellery. And a damn difficult one to purchase online… We want, we checked, we cried. But as the Log Lady says: “One day, the sadness will end.”
Tupac’s crown ring
Tupac
AP Photo – screenshot Sotherby’s
The gold, ruby and diamond crown ring designed and worn by legendary rap icon Tupac Shakur is another piece of music memorabilia that many would like to get their hands on. Too late now though, as a special Sotheby’s auction marking the 50th anniversary of hip-hop in 2023 saw the sale of the ring for an astonishing $1 million (€900,000) – making it the most valuable hip-hop artefact ever sold. Drawing inspiration from the majestic crowns worn by medieval European kings, Tupac collaborated with his godmother Yaasmyn Fula to bring his shiny vision to life. The artist donned the ring during his final public appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards on 4 September 1996. Just days after the event, tragedy struck when the young rapper, at the age of 25, was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas on 13 September.
Michael Jordan’s NBA Championship rings
Michael Jordan
AP Photo – screenshot YouTube
He’s the GOAT. End of discussion. In 11 full seasons with the Chicago Bulls, MJ won five MVP titles, six Finals MVP trophies, and a total of six Championship rings. They are as iconic as the man himself – with the most coveted being his 1998 ring, as it marked the end of his time with the Bulls.
Dickie Greenleaf’s rings
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Miramax International
Based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 novel, Anthony Minghella’s 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley remains the unbeatable adaptation. Sorry, Netflix’s Ripley, but them’s the facts. Central to the psychological thriller’s pull is Jude Law’s portrayal of Dickie Greenleaf, a trust fund kid who is as charismatic as he is nose-bleedingly arrogant. In Minghella’s version, the director takes direct inspiration from Highsmith’s novel by making Dickie wear two stunning rings. “A large rectangular green stone set in gold on the third finger of his right hand, and on the little finger of the other hand a signet ring, larger and more ornate than the signet Mr. Greenleaf had worn,” wrote Highsmith. Both are class and wealth signifiers – two things Tom Ripley craves above all – and in the film, the ring with the green gemstone is revealed to be a gift from Dickie’s girlfriend, Marge. It’s this ring that plays an important role in threatening Ripley’s plans and points the finger of blame in his direction.
The Lord of the Rings’ One Ring
The One Ring
New Line Cinema
Of all the rings in literature and cinema, there’s little doubt that One Ring – also known as the Ruling Ring – is the most famous. Central to J. R. R. Tolkien’s books “The Hobbit”, the three “Lord of the Rings” books and Peter Jackson’s big screen adaptations, the magic golden ring has a place of honour in popular culture. Forged by the Dark Lord Sauron in the fires of Mount Doom to gain dominion over Middle-earth (and make you invisible), it is the most powerful of all the Rings of Power. And for the heathens among you, the Elvish verse on the ring reads: “One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them.” Beyond the lore, it represents corruption, as the ring is ultimately a physical manifestation for the addiction to absolute power – which always leads even the best people towards evil.
The D.S. ring in Lost
Charlie’s ring in Lost
ABC
Charlie, played by Dominic Monaghan, wears the simple silver ring with the initials “D.S.” in the hit show Lost. Its significance runs deeper than just a rocker’s band. It is an heirloom in the Pace family, D.S. originally standing for Dexter Stratton – the grandfather of Megan Pace. It’s a ring that travelled through generations and eventually led Charlie and his brother Liam to name their band after it – Drive Shaft. Beyond the clear Oasis parallels, the ring was passed on to Charlie by Liam and ultimately, Charlie gave the ring to baby Aaron before his death – in one of the best and most heartbreaking scenes in the entire show. Beyond the fact that Monaghan just can’t seem to get away from iconic rings, having also starred as Merry in The Lord of the Rings films, the D.S. ring is a symbol of brotherhood, triumph over addiction, and sacrifice. It holds emotional resonance and without it, the band wouldn’t have been named, they wouldn’t have found success, and Charlie may not have ended up on Oceanic Airlines Flight 815… Just a ring? Bah humbug!
The Marvel rings
Wakandan Royal Ring in Captain America: Civil War
Marvel – Disney
Rings appear in both the Marvel comics and movies. There’s the clandestine criminal organisation The Ten Rings; the Mandarin’s ten cosmic rings; Doctor Strange’s two-finger mystical Sling Ring, which allows wizards to create inter-dimensional portals… And then there’s the gorgeous Wakandan Royal Ring in the Black Panther series. Made of silver, lacquer and the coveted Vibranium, the rings are worn by members of Wakandan royalty. In the films, they play symbolic roles linked to family betrayal, death and passing on the mantle of the Black Panther. And they’re damn pretty to boot.
The DC rings
Green Latern in Superman (2025)
Warner Bros. Pictures
We did Marvel, so it’s only fair we balance the co(s)mic scales and turn our attention to DC. There are two main rings in the DC universe: The Flash’s ring, which allows Barry Allen to compress and hide his costume, and the all-important Green Lantern Rings. Also known as the Power Rings, these pieces of jewellery grant their wearers the power to do… well, anything. Depending on the skill and willpower of the wearer, of course. The Green Lantern Corps wear these rings – which have origins and a mythology which once again would be too knotty to untangle here. All you need to know is that in the DC world, the glowing green bands are considered to be the most powerful weapons around. And also obscene, considering some of the shapes Guy Gardner creates in this year’s Superman.
Dune’s Atreides ring
Dune’s Atreides ring
Warner Bros. Pictures
The large signet ring worn by the Duke of House Atreides features in the Frank Herbert space opera books and in Denis Villeneuve’s recent Dune films. It’s a chunky monkey passed on from generation to generation, serving to wax-stamp official documents with the Atreides Coat of Arms, reminding Paul of his dead father, and ultimately representing a tether to family. In many ways, it’s the metaphorical complement and counterpart to the One Ring. Paul wears it as a tribute to his dad; however, as he gets progressively power hungry once he accepts his role as the prophet Muad’Dib, the ring becomes a symbol of his eroding goodness and what he’s leaving behind. Herbert’s books – and by extension the films – are warnings about society’s documented and repeated tendency to surrender to charismatic leaders masquerading as “heroes”. The ring represents both facettes of this: the royal power passed through bloodlines that can lead to corruption and the quashing of others’ ways of life, but also the reminder of what Paul’s father, Duke Leto Atreides, tells his son in 2021’s Dune, referring to the ring he wears: “A great man doesn’t seek to lead, he’s called to it. And he answers. And if your answer ‘no’, you’ll still be the only thing I ever needed you to be – my son.”
There we have it. Which rings did we miss and what in your opinion is the most iconic ring in pop culture?
