It’s time for another ride in the ‘what did engagement rings look like back then’ machine. Tonight’s History of Engagement Rings decade? The groovy 60’s! The 1960s were dominated by the Vietnam War, Civil Rights protests and The Cuban Missile Crisis and also saw the assassinations of President John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. but they ended on a good note with the landing of the first man on the moon. And the engagement rings. Oh the engagement rings.
We couldn’t talk about engagement rings and the 60’s without mentioning one of our favorite iconic jewelry collectors: Elizabeth Taylor. You see it was in 1968 that Richard Burton bought the Krupp and gave it to Liz. Talk about a ring for the ages! The Krupp, more recently called the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond, weighed in at 33.19cts, dwarfing the rock given to you-know-who (rhymes with marashian) by her loud-mouthed, rap star now husband (we’ll give you a hint: he likens himself to Jesus).
But Liz’s ring wasn’t the only showstopper. There was another rock out there – the stunner given to Grace Kelly by Prince Rainier (a giant 10.47ct emerald cut diamond flanked by two diamond baguettes – one on each side).
And let’s not forget Jackie Kennedy’s engagement ring from JFK, an emerald and diamond toi et moi ring and Lucille Ball’s ginormous blue topaz from Ricky – two rings that helped re-start the trend of colored gemstones as the centerpiece in engagement rings of the day.
And then there was Marilyn Monroe’s baguette diamond eternity band from Joe DiMaggio – elegant and classic – a true throw back to the Art Deco era, which was having a bit of a renaissance.
Do you have a 1960’s engagement ring? Which of these is your favorite? Tell us in the comments below!
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