There have been many iconic engagement rings over the years. From Princess Kate's sapphire and diamond number from Princess Diana's collection to Beyonce's enormous diamond sparkler, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to impressive rings.
But one that may not be on everyone's radar is the ring that former tennis champ Anna Kournikova, 42, was gifted by her long-term partner 'Hero' singer Enrique Iglesias, 48. Though many have contested whether it was an engagement ring as the pair have been famously dismissive of marriage plans, the impressive sparkly number is a romantic gift that has to be seen to be believed.
© GettyAnna, who has been with Enrique since 2001, was spotted at the 2004 World Team Tennis match in Kansas City wearing the ring that sparked the idea that the pair might have got engaged. The ring was a sizeable pink diamond between two smaller (using the term 'small' liberally here) diamonds.
© GettyJewellery expert from Acotis Jewellery Mike Shotton tells HELLO! about the significance of the chosen stones. "The centrepiece of the ring is a pink pear-shaped 11-carat diamond bordered by trillion-cut diamonds on the edges," he explains.
"Pear-shaped diamonds traditionally symbolise independence and empowerment, [Enrique] Iglesias may have chosen the ring as a nod to the individual strength his partner has as a sports champion and beauty icon, showcasing her ability to embody the spirit of a strong independent woman."
© GettyNot only is Anna's ring incredibly impressive, it has an amazing origin story. "The pink diamond is from the Argyle mine in Australia where some of the most incredible pink diamonds come from in the world," says Edward Westnedge of Westnedge London. "At one stage it was the world's biggest producer of coloured diamonds, but less than 0.1% were pink. They were praised for their brilliance and colour."
© GettyHe adds: "The Argyle mine in Australia is now closed, so there are now fewer and fewer pink stones being found, so the rarity of pink diamonds is now already being seen in the market with prices only going upwards. With the size and intensity of the colour being what it is in this ring, this will be a very rare stone indeed."
The unique stone in Anna's ring only adds to the beauty of the piece which Edward estimates to be worth £4 million ($5,000,000). The ring also speaks to a wider jewellery trend on the horizon so if you are looking for the hottest new engagement ring, take notes.
© Getty"We’ve seen a trend over the last couple of years that has definitely leaned towards oval shaped stones in engagement rings, but we are seeing more and more people move away from this recently," Edward explains.
© Shutterstock"Couples are often looking for something unique so want to follow trends but have a unique element and a nice way to keep this elongated shape but to be a little bit unique is to go for a pear shape."
© KMazurDISCOVER: Enrique Iglesias' precious photos of rarely-seen twins with Anna Kournikova
The New York Post reported that the 'Bailando' singer has told reporters, I always try [to propose] but she pays me no attention." Meanwhile, the mother-of-three told People that she is "never getting married". More power to her, her incredible ring will nevertheless go down in history as one of the most impressive of our time.
