Is Kat Von D Engaged to Jesse James?

Update to original post of September3, 2010): Well, it's official. Jesse James and Kat Von D are engaged, according to People. The vintage(?) diamond ring I spotted on her back in September must have been the real deal. Seems a little fast if you ask me. Hmmm...

Call me crazy, but that is, indeed, a diamond on Kat Von D's ring finger, right?

The heavily-inked artist was out in LA celebrating both the opening of her new gallery, Wonderland, and her new relationship with Sandra Bullock's lying, cheating ex - Jesse James - when photogs snapped a few close-up shots of what appears to be a lovely vintage diamond engagement ring.

While it's no surprise the tattooed twosome found some things in common, they only started dating a month ago - and James' heavily covered cheating scandal still smells like a rat.

But - hey. To each their own.

So far, they say they are just dating. But when People asked Von D if James is 'The One", she told the mag, "I believe he is, so yeah."

Hmmmm....

What do you guys think? Is this a fashion ring or the real deal? Wonder what Sandra thinks of her ex's new gal pal?

Lindsay Lohan: Jewelry Debts and Jail Time

From her surprising love life to her "FU" fingernail fashion - it's never dull when Lindsay Lohan hits the headlines. And while her recent jail sentence is the latest Li-Lo shocker, it's nice to know there are still some things we can rely on when it comes to our favorite paparazzi princess:

Jewelry debts.

Whether she's "borrowing" jewelry from a photo shoot, losing a suitcase full of diamonds or snapping up gift bag goodies like a venus fly trap in a garbage dump - our beloved Lindsay never met a shiny object she actually paid for.

The latest jewelry offense comes to us from The Grey Lady of tabloid journalism - TMZ - with a report that a Hollywood boutique is suing Lindsay for an unpaid bill of just over $17,000. The 'first lady of leggings' apparently bought - among other things - a 14kt diamond ring worth $5900 on her shopping spree.

With 90 days of hard jail time looming large, I doubt this is at the top of Lindsay's 'to do' list, but it's nice to see someone other than the long hand of the law trying to make an honest woman out of her.

What do you guys think of Lindsay's latest transgressions? And did anyone see her jaw-dropping cameo on Bravo's reality show gawk-fest, Double Exposure? Stunning.

Megan Fox Loses $60,000 Engagement Ring

It's a jewelry nightmare for the record books. When megastar Megan Fox got engaged to 90210's Brian Austin Green (for the second time) during their Hawaiian beach vacation, she was so excited she lost her $60,000 diamond engagement ring in the sand.

Not down the drain, as many jewelry calamities play out. In the sand. Despite the metal detector attempts of the Four Seasons staff, the 2-carat ring is still MIA.

The good news is: she's a multi-millionaire many times over. And 90210 is in syndication.

Chelsea Clinton's Engagement Ring Photos

Blurry though they may be, at long last Chelsea Clinton diamond engagement ring photos are making the rounds this week.

The Huffington Post published these shots captured while the uber-offspring was taking in the premiere of Broadway's latest hit, "Promises, Promises". The crutches, while giving us a great gawk at her ring finger, are there to help her nurse a broken heel.


Still no diamond details in terms of cut and carat-count, but by the looks of it her groom-to-be has good taste (and a sizable diamond budget). Would we expect anything less for our Chelsea?

The former first daughter announced her engagement to long-term beau, Marc Mezvinsky, in November. They are expected to wed this summer with details being Washington's best kept secret.

Stay tuned!

Diamonds on "Dancing With The Stars"

Dancing With The Stars is known for its gaudy display of costume jewelry, but this latest DWTS diamond ditty is my favorite so far.

Cincinnati Bengal superstar, Chad OchoCinco, gave dancing partner, Cheryl Burke, a huge diamond ring 'thank you' after last night's rowsing Paso Doble performance according to Us Weekly.

Said Cheryl of the surprise stash,

"At first I was like, Is this even real?...not even any of my boyfriends have given me anything like this! Ochocinco likes the bling!"

So what's the final carat count? Ocho only told US "A lot", but a source revealed the icy ring set in platinum came from Jason of Beverly Hills and cost more than $10,000.

Child, please!

Full disclosure: The Bengals are my hometown team and Chad is either a "love him or hate him" kinda player. But after this shiny gesture not only is he my favorite footballer - he's the one I'm rooting for to take the DWTS crystal ball.

What do you guys think? Do you think he's trying just a little too hard? Does he have a chance to beat that skater guy and the former Pussycat Doll? Will he win Cheryl's heart in the end? Weigh in!

Chelsea Clinton

(Update, April 27, 2010: Chelsea Clinton's diamond engagement ring photos are finally making the rounds. See for yourselves, jewelry hounds!)

Jewelry hounds, I'm shocked, sickened and - well - wondering if there is a man left in America who doesn't text strippers when their wives aren't looking. If Jesse James finds it necessary to cheat on Sandra friggin Bullock, it makes it hard to get excited about anyone wanting to find eternal bliss.

But just when the dark clouds began to take over my mood today, this ray of sunshine crossed my path:

Chelsea Clinton's engagement ring was spotted!

Apparently the diamond rock drew a crowd backstage at this weekend's Women in the World: Stories & Solutions conference. According to the New York Post, Clinton was surrounded in the green room by host Tina Brown, Diane von Furstenberg and Barry Diller, who all admired her bauble from fiancé Marc Mezvinsky.

Chelsea's future mother-in-law, Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky, was repeatedly asked, "Where are they getting married?" But she politely replied, "I can't say."

What I'm asking is: What's the carat count Chels!?!

I'll be on the lookout for the first photos, so stay tuned. What's your guess? It drew gasps from the uber-wealthy Barry Diller, so I'm thinking 3 plus carats? Or is that too over the top for the normally understated First Daughter?

(And now back to sitting shiva for Sandra...Sigh.)

Weigh in!

Anna Nicole Smith's Lost Treasure

Jewelry tales of the rich and famous never cease to amaze me - from the extravagant acquisitions of New York's tony billionaires (Brooke Astor, et al) to celebrity jewelry boxes full of baubles worth more than our mortgages.

The latest entry in the latter category concerns the late Anna Nicole Smith, whose financial woes were well-reported following the death of her gazillionaire 'husband' back in the 90s. According to government files just released from the starlet's 1996 bankruptcy proceedings, Smith apparently lost some $2.7 million in jewelry.

Yes. Lost.

Among the pieces listed was a ring with three diamonds, including one weighing 8.45 carats(!), and a platinum necklace with 226 diamonds, totaling nearly 74 carats. Together, the two pieces alone were valued at nearly a half-million dollars. Their whereabouts were never determined, and it is not known if the pieces were stolen or if Anna just 'misplaced' them in a drug-induced haze.

Can you believe this? How does someone just 'lose' millions of dollars in jewels? This isn't your run-of-the-mill missing earring down the bathroom sink or tennis bracelet that breaks while you're out on the town, folks. Oi!

Tragic as her accidental death was, equally as tragic is how someone can be so out of it that they treat valuables we mere mortals would kill for with such nonchalance. What do you guys think? Am I being too harsh? Maybe it's good I have the Grammy Awards to distract me this weekend.

Ommmmmmmm......

Diddy Loses $20,000 Diamond Ring

Diddy is making news again, but this time it's for losing a diamond ring worth more than a luxury sedan. The rapper/producer was filming a TV show for BET in New York when he accidentally flung his huge diamond ring into the crowd while throwing out fake $100 bills.

Talk about a ring toss.

All 160 fans were frisked like criminals once the diamond loot went missing, but the search didn't turn up anything but the crowd's disdain.


The New York Post reported these cranky Tweets about the incident:

"Ok diddy lost his ring . . . and now there frisking all the kids like this is rikers lite,"

"[W]hen it was over, diddy held us hostage lookin for his lost ring. dont like him no more!!!"

Like him or not, it's clear Mr. Combs will survive for the time being - which is a lot more than his previous TV efforts can claim recently. Someone at MTV needs to put Making the Band on a permanent hiatus. Am I right?

Kate Gosselin Ditches the Wedding Ring

Well, she's not 'ditching' her wedding ring really, but rather 'switching it'.

Reality TV's Kate Gosselin admitted in a Today Show interview that she finally put away her wedding ring and exchanged it for the ring she received during the taped Hawaiian vow renewal ceremony that gave us all hope this TV couple might just make it after all.

What a difference a year makes.



I'm still not sure why Kate is hanging on to rings that symbolize a relationship that has decidedly gone very, very south, but I really like the idea she shared with Meredith Viera about ditching the wedding bling altogether and instead creating a ring to symbolize her commitment to her kids - a design with 8 diamonds (one for each spawn) and one mother-of-pearl stone.

Kate could be on the verge of creating an entirely new jewelry category for single mothers - and there are plenty of them out there, right? What do you guys think of her idea?

I think she's really on to something. And if she's smart, she'll start her own jewelry line instead of relying on TLC to bread her butter now that Jon is refusing to allow the kids to be a part of her show.

Just a thought. What are yours?

Mariah's New Record and Record-Breaking Diamond

With all the buzz about Khloe Kardashian's 9-carat diamond ring cluttering the airwaves, it's easy to forget about other celebrity bling that made our hearts skip a beat.

Now that Mariah Carey is running around on all the talk shows promoting her latest album, I am reminded that this diva has a rock to rival them all.

Do you remember the 17-carat pink diamond ring she got from Nick Canon back in 2008? The impressive sparkler from Jacob & Co is valued at a whopping $2.5 million and with a center stone weighing in at 10-carats – a little smaller than a dime.

"I wanted to do something extremely special, something that Mariah would really appreciate," Cannon told PEOPLE back in the day. "We got the pinkest stone we could find, surrounded by other diamonds."

Carey definitely approved. "It's so clear, you can see my finger through it," she said.

According to Jacob Arabo of Jacob & Co., Cannon "was very involved," in picking the ring, which has an emerald-cut fancy light pink center stone surrounded by 58 intense pink diamonds, flanked by two half-moon diamonds.

Stop! It's too much to bear...

Who wears your favorite celebrity enagement ring bling? Weigh in!

Alyssa Milano Weds in Special Diamond

Who's the Boss? Alyssa Milano, clearly, who wore a designer Vera Wang gown and a huge custom-made diamond engagement ring for her weekend wedding.

Celebrity weddings are full of designer diamonds, but Charmed actress Milano, 36, got hitched in a unique diamond engagement ring created by her very own husband - with a little help.

Mr. Alyssa, Hollywood agent David Bugliari, designed the diamond ring with Jim Lavi at Daniel Jewelry in La Jolla, California. The huge cushion-cut diamond solitaire rests on an 18kt gold band, but the jeweler refused to reveal the carat weight to reporters stating only that, "It's a big one."

Indeed.

According to People, the bride wore a Vera Wang gown and walked down the aisle to John Lennon's, "Imagine". Wedding guests attended a rustic-style reception after the ceremony, which Milano, who is of Italian descent, said was meant to create the essence of her family's Sunday dinners.

"We wanted a wedding that was reflective of who we are as a couple," said Milano, who met her husband in 2006.

But Alyssa isn't the only one with a cushion-cut diamond lighting up her ring finger. Cushion-cut diamonds are all the rage these days with Ivanka Trump, Anna Paquin and Mark Wahlberg's wife, Rhea Durham, sporting the style, among others.

Check out the Jewelry.com bridal boutique for over 600 diamond engagement ring styles from all the retailers you trust, including some stunning cushion-cut sparklers that rival any celebrity bling.

Porky Pig Gets a Diamond Dessert

And you thought swine flu was our biggest pork-related concern?

The Daily Mail in the UK reports today that a large pig has swallowed the diamond from a woman's $2500 ring.

Ginger, a Kune Kune pig, clamped her jaws around the jewel after Anne Moon put her hand into its pen at Easingwold Maize Maze in North Yorkshire, England.


When Mrs. Moon pulled away, the diamond was nowhere to be found. Now farmer Paul Caygill, who owns the attraction, has been given the task of sifting through Ginger's sty to find the glorious gem.

Caygill told the reporter, “It wasn't malicious or anything, it didn't take her finger off but took the central stone of her diamond ring.”

“So far it hasn't turned up, but we are still hoping. I don't know how long it takes for nature to take its course.”

I don’t know what’s worse, losing the diamond or having the illustrious task of finding it.

Mrs Moon, from Thirsk, had been visiting the farm with her husband Les, 63, who bought the ring for her about 30 years ago, and their grandchildren Josh, four, and Emilia, aged 20 months.

She isn’t hopeful the gem will turn up, but you can bet she’ll be dreaming of old Ginger there on a platter with an apple in her mouth if the diamond is gone for good.

"People might think I've made this up," says Moon, "but I'm not telling porkies."

Kate Gosselin Still Wears Her Diamond Wedding Ring

Despite her soon-to-be ex husband gallivanting all over tarnation with one cheeky woman after the next, a teary-eyed Kate Gosselin explained to Today Show host Meredith Viera this morning that she still wears her diamond wedding ring – for her 8 children.

“I don’t want to upset them. I don’t want to shock them. I’ve walked slowly through this with them. As they’ve asked questions, I’ve answered them.”

Gosselin said her kids know that the ring is her “married to daddy ring.”

“When the time is right, I’ll take it off,” she said.

Which begs the question: When is the right time to put away the diamond ring when the relationship it represents goes south?

Many women can’t wait to get the constant reminder of unhappiness off their ring fingers and throw the diamond in a drawer or take it straight to the pawnshop (see The Bachelorette/Bachelor series for more).

But then there are others, like Kate, who need a bit more time to get used to the idea of saying good-bye to something that has been with you for years – sometimes decades.

Do any of you have wedding ring retirement stories you’d like to share? Like most affairs of the heart, there is no right and wrong – just what feels good to you, I suppose. But my gut tells me that the sooner Kate can let go of that ring, the sooner she can move on and make her own life happy again.

Thoughts? Stories?

Vampires, Diamonds and True Love

Of all the recent celebrity diamond rings I’ve been spotting this summer (from Ivanka Trump to Bethenny Frankel), this one takes the cake! True Blood’s first couple is getting hitched in real life!

For those of you who aren’t into HBO's latest vampire screen sensation (if not, you really oughta be), Anna Paquin plays telepathic Sookie Stackhouse who falls in love with a sexy 200 year-old vampire played by Stephen Moyer. You follow?

The lovebirds hit it off during the audition two years ago and news hit yesterday that they’re making things official.


No wedding details are available yet, but OK Magazine spotted Paquin flaunting her stunning new diamond engagement ring while walking her dog in Venice this morning.

Awwww…..

Moyer, 39, has two children from previous relationships: a son, Billy, born in 2000, and a daughter, Lilac, born in 2002. This will be the first marriage for both.



Last month, Paquin, 27, said of her steamy love scenes with Moyer: "Obviously, if you're already with that person then you're not having to sort of get over the 'Wow, I'm naked with someone that I don't even know the middle name of!"

Anna? You are one lucky telepath.

What do you guys think of the happy couple? A match made in TV heaven or an odd couple destined to fizzle?

New York Housewive Spotted with Diamond Ring

Bethenny Frankel finally has that diamond on her ring finger, according to US Magazine. The only Real Housewife of New York who isn’t really a ‘wife’ may get that moniker changed if the story holds true.

The Bravo reality show star was spotted wearing a diamond ring in Miami on Saturday, and her rep confirmed to US that an engagement is ‘definitely in the works’.

Good for her!

The ring itself is apparently only a starter engagement ring with the real deal still in development according to a source.

"He's hunting for the ring, but in the meantime this is a place holder or promise ring," the source told Us.

The couple first met at NYC nightclub Tenjune. Since then, the Frankel and Hoppy - who works in real estate - have attended several events together and went on a romantic vacation in Turks & Caicos in May. She has even reportedly gotten approval from her Housewives friends, who say Hoppy is a catch.

Although Frankel has struggled to find love on the hit Bravo show, the 38-year-old admits to falling for the hunk.

"I'm in love," Frankel said at an event in the Hamptons. "I'm pretty much certain I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him... I'm really happy."

Take THAT Kelly Bensimon!

How To Choose A Wedding Band

While traditional gold bands will never go out of style, modern brides and grooms are opting for more unique options in the wedding band department these days. Here are a few tips to keep in mind and important links to Jewelry.com's treasure chest full of affordable and fashionable options.

Although gold is still the metal of choice for wedding rings, platinum has become extremely popular as a bridal metal. The allure of platinum is its unparalleled strength, durability and purity. Many wedding rings also combine the warmth of yellow gold with the cool white of platinum, providing a contemporary twist to a traditional classic.

For those who like the look of platinum but can't afford it, there is always white gold. White gold, which is pure gold that has been mixed with nickel, zinc, silver or other white metals, costs considerably less than platinum, but is also less durable.

Not only can today's brides and grooms choose from a dizzying array of fashionable solid metal bands, but they can also opt for wedding rings with diamonds or colored stones. Channel set bands - rings with a line of small diamonds set in a groove, or channel, along the band - are particularly popular.

An increasing number of men are choosing wedding rings with diamonds, as well. One word of caution, however: when buying either a men's or women's diamond wedding band, make sure the stones are small enough so they don't overpower the engagement ring.

Other considerations for buying a wedding ring include:

Consider your lifestyle. If you or your spouse are athletic, outdoor types or work with your hands, pure gold (24 karat) probably isn't the choice for you because it's scratches and shows wear easily due to its softness.

Consider your existing jewelry. Look at the kind of jewelry and watches you already wear, and consider how your wedding band will look next to them. A bride-to-be also needs to consider whether she'll wear her wedding band and engagement ring on the same finger, or whether she will move her engagement ring to her right hand and just wear the band on her left. If she plans to wear them together, she'll need to choose a wedding band that matches the engagement ring and sits comfortably against it.

Establish a budget. Plain gold bands can be bought for less than $150, but fashion comes with a price. High-fashion bands with diamonds or other gemstones can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, depending on the size and quality of the stones and the workmanship of the piece. Also keep in mind that a men's band tends to be more expensive than a woman's, because it tends to be larger, wider and denser.

The Steelers Show Off Their Super Bowl Rings

‘Oversized’, ‘blinged out’ and ‘just the right side of gaudy’ are words we might use when describing say, Elizabeth Taylor's or Beyonce’s jewelry style. But it’s the fellas in the football world that have them all beat.

This year’s Super Bowl champs, the Pittsburgh Steelers, received their commemorative rings yesterday during a private team ceremony at East Club Lounge at Heinz Field, according to the Pittsburgh Gazette. And the bling fest was nearly blinding.

Former all-pro defensive tackle Joe Greene, one of five club employees who have earned six Super Bowl rings, and former linebacker Larry Foote, attended the event.

"It is a beautiful ring," said Greene about the 3.7-ounce, 3.61 carat beauty which contains no less than 63 diamonds.

Designed by Jostens, the ring's face contains six large, brilliant-cut diamonds, one for each franchise Super Bowl victory. There are seven other diamonds that represent the Steelers' seven conference championships and seven others below to add up to their 14 division titles in a football design.

On one side of each ring are six Lombardi Trophies with the 27-23 score of their victory against Arizona in the Super Bowl. On the other is the ring owner's name, the Steelers helmet logo, the NFL logo and the player's number.

While there have been many reports of former Super Bowl players pawning these prized possessions due to the current economic downtown, most players wouldn’t even think of parting with their blingy baby.

"Everybody's in awe right now," said backup quarterback Charlie Batch.

"When everybody opened his box, it was like 'Wow!' "This is the defining moment…”

Diamond Engagement Ring Gets a Royal Flush

So you’re wearing your $78,000 diamond engagement ring to the Black Bear Diner in Phoenix. (It could happen, work with me). Before Vera serves you your patty melt, you excuse yourself to ‘powder your nose’, and somewhere in the process your record-breaking rock slips from your finger. And you flush it down the toilet.

And you thought George Michael’s arrest was the worst thing that could happen in a public bathroom?

Every married woman’s nightmare is to lose their diamond ring in a menacing sidewalk grate or a pesky sink drain, but this true-life story takes the cake.

Allison Berry of Eureka, California quickly told the restaurant management and after a failed attempt by the city to flush the ring out, they called in “The Fixer” – aka: Mike Roberts from Mr. Rooter in nearby Tempe.

The Mission Impossible of plumbers guided a tiny video camera into the pipe with an infared light attached and ironically found the ring just three feet away from ‘flush zero’. After an hour-and-a-half of jack-hammering and pipe removal, Roberts recovered the ring like a sewage-stained Excalibur.

A pipe dream come true.

"They always say diamonds are a girl's best friend. In this case, a plumber is a girl's best friend," Roberts said. "She was just so excited, she had tears in her eyes. She gave us a hug and said 'Thank you so much."'

Ms. Berry also paid $5,000 for the plumbing bill and covered the cost of re-tiling the bathroom. She also gave each of those who helped a $400 tip.

And if the Jewelry Insider could be so bold as to give a tip to Ms. Berry? Flush with your right hand next time.

J-Lo's Roving Ring

Jennifer Lopez has been spotted on the red carpet recently without her wedding ring, which in normal circles means there’s trouble in paradise. It was MIA for both the premiere of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button AND last weekend’s Golden Globes.

Her explanation to In Touch Weekly?

"Every time I'm not wearing my ring, people think I'm getting divorced."

"That's crazy! It just didn't go with the dress."

Yeah. Right.

While most women take their rings off from time to time, say, if there is a floor to scour or a violent game of tennis on the calendar, I have rarely heard the excuse that “my 8.5 carat Neil Lane shocker doesn’t go with my evening gown.” Especially if the dress is that abhorrent jewelry-clashing color….gold! Or that hard to accessorize hue, white, as The New York Daily News points out.

A mutual pal of the married couple of four years told US Weekly, "They both didn't wear their rings on purpose. Nothing Jennifer does is without purpose."

Which begs the question: Is the twosome toying with us to drum up publicity? Let’s face it. Their creative collaborations haven’t resulted in the critical success J-Lo's solo offerings enjoyed. And they just renewed their vows in October and birthed twins – two signs of a healthy relationship in normal circles.

Whatever the reason, Mami, wedding rings, no matter who you are, are not to be worn as a fashion accessory. They are the permanent reminder that you’re hitched, off the market, with ball and chain, however you want to put it, and taking them off because they don’t go with a ball gown is kindof spitting in the face of the whole operation if you ask me.

What do you guys think? Am I being too closed minded about this issue? Is it OK to take your rings off from time to time if they don’t go with an outfit? Or if you’re pissed at your B-list husband for ruining your career?

Weigh in!