Pear-Shaped Diamonds Are Back, Meghan Markle and Hollywood’s Biggest Stars Put the Teardrop Cut Back in the Spotlight

 

The pear-shaped diamond is having another moment.

When Meghan Markle recently appeared wearing a previously unseen pear-shaped diamond ring on her right hand, jewellery watchers were quick to take notice. The Duchess of Sussex showcased the striking ring while promoting her As Ever lifestyle brand, adding another high-profile name to a growing list of celebrities and royals who have embraced the distinctive diamond shape.

The identity of the ring’s designer and the exact weight of Meghan’s diamond have not been publicly confirmed. However, jewellery experts have noted that the stone appears substantial, and its appearance has once again put the pear-shaped diamond firmly in the spotlight.

And Meghan is certainly not alone.

From Hollywood actresses and pop stars to royalty and sporting legends, some of the world’s most recognisable women have chosen pear-shaped diamonds.

From teardrop to timeless

The pear shape, sometimes called a teardrop cut, combines characteristics of the round brilliant and marquise cuts. Its rounded end gives the stone brilliance, while the pointed tip creates a distinctive elongated silhouette.

The shape dates back centuries, with its development traditionally associated with Flemish diamond cutter Lodewyk van Bercken in the 1400s.

For years, however, the shape carried an unfortunate reputation because of its resemblance to a tear. Some believed that wearing a “teardrop” diamond could symbolise tears or sadness.

Modern jewellery buyers appear far less concerned with the old superstition.

Today, the pear is increasingly associated with individuality, elegance and glamour. Its elongated outline can also create impressive visual spread, making a diamond appear larger than another stone of the same carat weight.

Elizabeth Taylor set the standard

Long before today’s celebrity engagement rings, one woman demonstrated just how spectacular a pear-shaped diamond could be.

Elizabeth Taylor’s legendary Taylor-Burton Diamond weighed 69.42 carats when it was acquired for her by Richard Burton in 1969.

The diamond was cut from a remarkable 240.80-carat rough stone discovered at South Africa’s Premier Mine in 1966. Harry Winston and his cutters transformed it into a 69.42-carat pear-shaped diamond graded E-F colour and Internally Flawless clarity by GIA.

Richard Burton famously acquired the diamond from Cartier for approximately US$1.1 million, after Cartier had purchased it at auction for US$1.05 million.

Taylor initially wore the stone as a ring before having it transformed into a spectacular necklace. The diamond became one of the most recognisable jewels in Hollywood history.

It was later sold by Taylor, and the stone was subsequently recut to 68 carats.

The Taylor-Burton remains perhaps the ultimate example of how a pear-shaped diamond can become much more than jewellery — it can become part of popular culture.

Victoria Beckham’s 17-carat statement

Victoria Beckham has also demonstrated the appeal of the pear shape.

David Beckham gave Victoria a spectacular 17-carat pear-shaped diamond set in platinum. The stone became one of the most recognisable pieces in her extensive engagement-ring collection and was reportedly worth millions of dollars.

Victoria later repurposed the diamond as a pendant, wearing it at the wedding celebrations of her son Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz.

It is a perfect example of another advantage of exceptional diamonds: a great stone can be redesigned and worn in completely different ways without losing its identity.

Anna Kournikova’s extraordinary pink pear

One of the most unusual celebrity pear-shaped diamonds belongs to former tennis star Anna Kournikova.

In 2004, Kournikova was photographed wearing an extraordinary 11-carat natural pink pear-shaped diamond, reportedly from Australia’s Argyle mine. The stone was flanked by two trillion-cut white diamonds.

The ring attracted enormous attention, although Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias never publicly confirmed whether the ring represented a formal engagement.

The combination of a large pear shape and natural pink colour made the ring particularly remarkable — especially given the rarity of larger natural pink diamonds.

Paris Hilton went even bigger

Paris Hilton’s engagement ring from Chris Zylka became another celebrity pear-shaped sensation.

The centre stone was widely reported at 20 carats, surrounded by approximately two carats of smaller diamonds, giving the entire ring a reported total of around 22 carats. The ring was valued at approximately US$2 million at the time.

The enormous pear-shaped stone quickly became one of the most talked-about celebrity engagement rings of 2018.

Cardi B: 8-carat pear with a spectacular setting

Cardi B’s engagement ring from Offset took the pear shape in an entirely different direction.

The centre diamond was reported at 8 carats, with two additional one-carat pear-shaped diamonds on either side. Two diamond halos surrounded the centre stone, including white and pink diamonds.

The entire ring has been estimated at approximately 12 carats of diamonds.

Rather than relying solely on the size of the centre stone, the design uses multiple pear-shaped diamonds and coloured diamonds to create a much larger visual impact.

Ariana Grande chose a more delicate pear

Ariana Grande has also worn one of the most recognisable modern pear-shaped celebrity rings.

When Pete Davidson proposed to Grande in 2018, he presented her with a 3.03-carat pear-shaped diamond, reportedly VVS1 clarity, set in platinum with a small diamond halo. The ring was custom-made by jeweller Greg Yuna and was reported to be worth approximately US$93,000.

The engagement was short-lived, but the ring became one of the defining celebrity pear-shaped designs of its era.

Katherine Heigl keeps it classic

Actress Katherine Heigl chose a considerably more understated version.

Her engagement ring from Josh Kelley features a 3-carat pear-shaped diamond set on a platinum band.

It demonstrates why the pear shape remains so versatile. The same basic cut can look spectacular at 20 carats or elegant and understated at three.

Avril Lavigne’s 14-carat showstopper

Singer Avril Lavigne was presented with an enormous pear-shaped engagement ring by Chad Kroeger in 2012.

Reports put the entire ring at 14 carats, with the centre pear-shaped diamond estimated at approximately 10 carats and around four carats of side diamonds.

The ring was a perfect match for Lavigne’s more unconventional style and demonstrated how the pear can work equally well for a vintage-inspired or contemporary design.

Princess Charlene brings the pear into royalty

The pear shape has also found its way into royal jewellery.

Princess Charlene of Monaco received a 3-carat pear-shaped diamond from Prince Albert II when they became engaged. The stone is surrounded by smaller diamonds arranged in a distinctive geometric design and was reportedly created by Parisian jeweller Repossi.

The ring is particularly interesting because it combines the traditional brilliance of the pear shape with a modern architectural setting.

The celebrity pear-shaped diamond list

Some of the better-known examples include:

Celebrity / Royal	Reported pear diamond size
Elizabeth Taylor – Taylor-Burton	69.42 carats
Paris Hilton	20 carats
Victoria Beckham	17 carats
Avril Lavigne	Approx. 10-carat centre / 14 carats total
Anna Kournikova	11 carats
Cardi B	8-carat centre
Ariana Grande	3.03 carats
Katherine Heigl	3 carats
Princess Charlene of Monaco	3 carats
Meghan Markle	Exact size not publicly confirmed

These figures should be viewed carefully. Celebrity jewellery is often reported from expert estimates rather than laboratory certificates, and some reports quote the centre stone while others quote the total diamond weight of the entire ring.

Why are pear-shaped diamonds becoming popular again?

There is a practical reason behind the renewed interest.

A well-proportioned pear-shaped diamond has considerable surface area for its weight. Its elongated outline can make it appear larger on the finger than a round diamond of the same carat weight.

It also gives buyers something different.

The round brilliant remains the benchmark for traditional diamond engagement rings, while oval, cushion, emerald and radiant cuts have all developed strong followings. The pear sits somewhere between classic and unconventional.

It has the brilliance people expect from a brilliant-cut diamond, but its asymmetrical outline gives it considerably more personality.

For jewellery buyers, that combination is increasingly attractive.

And perhaps that explains why Meghan Markle’s latest appearance has attracted so much attention.

The pear-shaped diamond may once have been dismissed as the “teardrop” cut. Today, it is increasingly being seen as a statement of individuality.

From Elizabeth Taylor’s legendary 69.42-carat jewel to Victoria Beckham’s 17-carat diamond, Anna Kournikova’s rare pink stone and the spectacular rings worn by Paris Hilton and Cardi B, the pear shape has already established an extraordinary celebrity history.

Meghan Markle may simply be the latest star to remind the world that, when it comes to diamonds, sometimes the most distinctive shape is the one that stands out from the crowd.

Sources checked: DCLA, GIA for the Taylor-Burton specifications and history; Vogue and Natural Diamonds for Victoria Beckham; Natural Diamonds for Anna Kournikova; Town & Country for Paris Hilton; Us Weekly and specialist jewellery sources for Cardi B, Ariana Grande, Katherine Heigl and Avril Lavigne; ELLE for Meghan Markle’s current pear-shaped ring.

Protect Your Jewellery, How to Check Your Jewellery Before You Lose It.

 

Fine jewellery is designed to be worn and enjoyed, but even the best-made piece will experience wear over time. The metal that holds your diamonds and gemstones is often the part that receives the most punishment, particularly when jewellery is worn every day.

A small amount of wear to a claw, bezel, link or clasp may seem insignificant, but it can eventually result in something much more serious: a lost diamond, gemstone or even the entire piece of jewellery.

Regular inspection and maintenance can help prevent that happening.

Start With the Stones

If your jewellery is claw set, take a close look at the claws holding each stone in place.

Claws can become worn, bent or damaged through everyday wear. They can also catch on clothing, bedding or other objects. A damaged or significantly worn claw may no longer provide the protection it was designed to give.

If you gently touch a stone and it appears to move, or you hear a slight clicking or rattling sound when the jewellery is carefully handled, stop wearing it and have it checked by a professional.

The Jewellers Association of Australia similarly recommends checking for loose gemstones and worn or damaged claws before a loss occurs.

What should you look for?

• Are all the claws still present?
• Do any claws look thinner or shorter than the others?
• Is a claw bent or sitting differently?
• Does the stone appear to have moved?
• Does the stone feel loose?
• Is the metal around the stone worn or damaged?
• Is the stone sitting evenly in its setting?

These are small warning signs that should not be ignored.

Don’t Forget Bezel Settings

Claw settings are not the only settings that require attention.

A bezel setting holds the stone with a surrounding rim of metal. Over time, that rim can become worn, dented or damaged.

Because the metal is what physically holds the gemstone in position, excessive wear can eventually compromise the security of the stone.

A professional inspection can identify areas of wear that may not be obvious to the naked eye.

Check Your Chains, Bracelets and Clasps

It is easy to concentrate on the diamonds and forget about the rest of the jewellery.

Chains and bracelets can suffer considerable wear, particularly where individual links repeatedly rub against each other or against clasps and fittings.

Pay particular attention to:

Links: Look for stretched, thin or damaged links.

Clasps: Make sure the clasp closes securely and does not feel loose.

Jump rings: These small connecting rings can open or become worn.

Chain ends and connecting points: These can experience significant stress during everyday use.

Bracelet connections: Check for excessive movement or signs that the metal has become thin.

A weak link or worn clasp can result in losing the entire bracelet or necklace without you even realising it has happened.

Your Lifestyle Makes a Difference

There is no single maintenance schedule that suits everyone.

How often jewellery should be professionally inspected depends heavily on how often you wear it and what you do while wearing it.

Do you wear your engagement ring every day?

Do you wear your jewellery while working with your hands?

Do you wear your rings while exercising?

Do you work in an environment where your jewellery is regularly exposed to knocks, chemicals, tools or hard surfaces?

Do you sleep wearing your jewellery?

All of these factors can increase the amount of wear placed on your jewellery.

Someone who wears a diamond ring occasionally may require less frequent inspection than someone who wears the same ring every day and works with their hands.

Don’t Wait Until Something Goes Wrong

One of the biggest mistakes jewellery owners make is waiting until a stone falls out or a clasp breaks before having their jewellery checked.

By that stage, the damage has already occurred.

A professional inspection is about prevention. Identifying a worn claw, thinning link or damaged clasp early can allow the problem to be repaired before you lose something valuable or irreplaceable.

And remember, the value of jewellery isn’t always financial. A family heirloom, engagement ring or piece with sentimental significance may be impossible to replace.

How Often Should You Have Your Jewellery Checked?

For jewellery that is worn regularly, an annual professional inspection is a sensible starting point. However, this should be adjusted according to how heavily the jewellery is worn and the type of work or activities it is exposed to.

For jewellery worn every day or subjected to considerable wear, more frequent inspections may be appropriate.

And if you notice something unusual a loose stone, damaged claw, worn link, loose clasp or change in the way the jewellery feels — don’t wait for your next scheduled inspection. Have it checked immediately.

DCLA Can Check Your Jewellery

At the Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia (DCLA), we understand that protecting your jewellery is about more than simply knowing what your diamonds are worth. It is also about making sure the stones and jewellery are properly maintained.

DCLA offers a jewellery checking service to help identify potential problems with settings, stones and jewellery components before they become costly or heartbreaking losses.

Our laboratory uses professional gemmological equipment, including high-precision microscopes, to examine diamonds and jewellery in detail.

A Few Minutes Could Save You Thousands

Your jewellery deserves regular care just like any other valuable possession.

Check your stones. Check the claws. Check the bezel. Check the links. Check the clasp.

Most importantly, don’t ignore small changes.

A little maintenance today could prevent the loss of a diamond tomorrow.

DCLA independent diamond expertise and professional jewellery services, helping you protect what matters. DCLA is Australia’s internationally accredited diamond certification laboratory, with independent gemmological assessment carried out in its Sydney laboratory.

For more information about having your jewellery checked, contact DCLA – Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia.

Fancy Colour Diamonds, From Hollywood Statement to the Ultimate Collectable

 

For generations, the traditional diamond engagement ring has been dominated by the classic colourless stone. But the world of exceptional diamonds is changing. Increasingly, collectors, celebrities and high jewellery connoisseurs are turning towards something far rarer and far more individual: natural fancy colour diamonds.

From vivid pinks and intense blues to extraordinary greens, yellows and the exceptionally rare reds, these diamonds are no longer simply an alternative to the traditional white diamond. They are becoming recognised as some of the most desirable and collectible gems in the world.

Jennifer Lopez Put Green Diamonds in the Spotlight

One of the most talked-about examples came in 2022, when Ben Affleck proposed to Jennifer Lopez with an extraordinary natural green diamond.

The choice was particularly appropriate for Lopez, who has long associated the colour green with good fortune and famously wore the iconic green Versace dress at the 2000 Grammy Awards.

But the ring represented more than a celebrity engagement.

It introduced millions of people to a diamond category that had traditionally been the domain of specialist collectors and serious diamond enthusiasts.

Green diamonds are exceptionally unusual. Unlike many other coloured diamonds, their colour is generally associated with natural radiation occurring over geological time. Importantly, green colour can be concentrated near the surface of the diamond, making the cutting and preservation of the stone particularly challenging.

The result is a diamond where colour, rarity, provenance and individuality can all become major components of its value.

According to GIA, natural fancy colour diamonds are among the rarest gemstones, with red, green, purple and orange among the rarest colours.

What Makes a Fancy Colour Diamond So Special?

With a conventional D-to-Z diamond, the absence of colour is generally desirable.

Fancy colour diamonds work differently.

Their value can increase with the strength, purity and quality of the colour. GIA’s grading system assesses factors including hue, tone and saturation, with descriptions such as Fancy, Fancy Intense, Fancy Vivid and Fancy Deep.

This creates a fascinating situation in the diamond market.

Two diamonds of exactly the same weight can have dramatically different values because their colours are different.

A small variation in hue or saturation can transform a beautiful diamond into an exceptional one.

And when the colour is extremely rare, the difference can be enormous.

The most coveted colours include:

Red – among the rarest of all natural diamond colours.

Pink – historically one of the most sought-after colours among collectors.

Blue – exceptionally rare, with its colour generally associated with boron.

Green – extraordinarily unusual and often associated with natural radiation.

Orange – rare and highly prized when the colour is strong and pure.

Yellow – more commonly encountered than green, blue or red, but spectacular vivid yellow diamonds can be exceptionally valuable.

GIA notes that saturated pinks, blues and greens are among the rarest and most valuable fancy colour diamonds.

Celebrities Are Changing the Conversation

Fancy colour diamonds have a long relationship with Hollywood and international celebrity culture.

The legendary Tiffany Yellow Diamond, weighing 128.54 carats, is one of the world’s most famous yellow diamonds. It has been associated with Audrey Hepburn, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, helping demonstrate how a coloured diamond can become part of popular culture rather than simply a gemological curiosity.

Other celebrities including Beyoncé, Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus, Angelina Jolie and Heidi Klum have also worn fancy colour diamonds on major occasions.

And the trend is very much alive today.

At the 2026 Oscars, Kate Hudson made headlines wearing more than 41 carats of rare green diamonds by Milan-based Garatti. Her spectacular jewellery included a 16-carat fancy green diamond necklace, a 15-carat Fancy Deep green diamond ring and matching green diamond earrings. The collection was reported at approximately US$35 million.

Lupita Nyong’o also brought green diamonds to the red carpet in 2026, wearing Garatti earrings incorporating Fancy Intense Green diamonds at The Odyssey world premiere in London.

At the 2026 Golden Globes, Kate Hudson again wore green diamonds, including a 5-carat pear-shaped Fancy green diamond and a 3.19-carat Fancy Deep green diamond combined with pink and white diamonds.

These appearances are important because they expose a much wider audience to a category of diamond that was once largely understood only by specialists.

The Rise of the Collector’s Diamond

The greatest appeal of a natural fancy colour diamond is that it can be much more than jewellery.

It can become a collectable gemstone.

Unlike mass-market jewellery, exceptional natural colour diamonds are finite. There is no guarantee that another stone with exactly the same combination of colour, saturation, size, clarity, shape and provenance will ever appear.

That individuality is fundamental to their attraction.

A collector may therefore look at a fancy colour diamond in much the same way an art collector looks at a unique painting.

The question isn’t simply:

“How much does it cost?”

It becomes:

“How rare is it, how exceptional is it, and will another one like it ever come onto the market?”

Green Diamonds Require Specialist Knowledge

Green diamonds are particularly fascinating because their colour formation and appearance can be complex.

GIA explains that the green colour in many natural green diamonds is concentrated near the surface of the stone, which means cutters often attempt to preserve natural rough material around the girdle.

This makes identification and grading particularly important.

A purchaser should never rely simply on the description “green diamond”.

The exact grading terminology matters.

Natural or laboratory-grown?

What is the origin of the colour?

What is the strength and distribution of the colour?

What laboratory has graded the stone?

What does the certificate actually say?

For a significant fancy colour diamond, independent laboratory documentation is essential.

Fancy Colour Diamonds Are Not Just a Fashion

Celebrity attention can create trends, but the fascination with fancy colour diamonds goes much deeper.

Their rarity is geological.

Their beauty is natural.

Their individuality is impossible to reproduce precisely.

And the finest examples can occupy a completely different level of the diamond market from ordinary jewellery diamonds.

This is why the current interest in green diamonds should not simply be dismissed as another celebrity fashion.

Jennifer Lopez may have helped introduce green diamonds to a global audience, but the stones themselves have been extraordinary for millions of years.

Today, collectors are beginning to appreciate what specialist diamond dealers and gemmologists have known for decades:

the world’s rarest diamonds are not necessarily the whitest.

Sometimes, the colour is the most valuable thing of all.

DCLA: Knowledge Matters

For anyone considering the purchase of a significant fancy colour diamond, independent expertise is critical.

At the Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia (DCLA), the assessment of a diamond goes beyond simply looking at whether a stone appears attractive.

Fancy colour diamonds require specialist knowledge and careful assessment because subtle differences in colour can have a substantial effect on rarity, classification and value.

A beautiful coloured diamond is an exciting purchase.

An authenticated, professionally graded natural fancy colour diamond can be something much more significant: a rare gemstone with the potential to become a family heirloom and a serious collector’s asset.

DCLA — where diamond knowledge, science and independent assessment come together.

Sources

Fancy Color Diamond Quality Factors

The Magic of Colored Diamonds

Colored Diamonds Buyer’s Guide

Tiffany Yellow Diamond history

Natural Diamonds — Oscars 2026

Natural Diamonds — The Odyssey 2026

People — Kate Hudson’s 2026 Oscars green diamond jewellery