Former tennis player Maria Sharapova and businessperson Alexander Gilkes got engaged just a few days before Christmas. Sharapova shared the news of her engagement on Instagram, with a set of intimate photographs. Anyhow, the engagement jewelry piece of the Russian tennis superstar remained mysterious until a few days ago. Sharapova showed off her sparkling engagement ring featuring an emerald-like diamond many days after her engagement.
Sharapova’s emerald cut diamond ring is worth a whopping $400,000, as per a Dailymail report. The ring is made of rose gold, plus it has a 5-carat diamond set centrally. Famous designer Jessica McCormack is the designer of this jewelry piece. The costly piece would surpass the rings of all sportsperson’s wives and girlfriends except for Georgina Rodriguez. Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo gave Rodriguez a ring with a cost of £615,000 or so.
Gilkes and Sharapova dated for close to three years before the engagement. The two kept their romantic relationship a secret up to the time the Tennis star revealed photographs of her 2018 Cotswolds tour. That secrecy is something which Sharapova alluded to in her Instagram post. The post on Instagram read thus: “This was our little secret”. Her beau, Gilkes replied to the post with a heartfelt message that ended with a blue diamond emoji.
More About Sharapova’s Center Diamond
The emerald cut ring has a bezel setting to protect the gemstone. Unlike the claw setting, it frames the gem’s circumference with a precious metal ring.
Popularized in the Art Deco period of the early 1900s, the emerald-like diamond-cut keeps conveying an understated, yet regal beauty. The step-cut facets of the stone allow seeing into the gemstone in a way that reveals the perfection of it. That is why it features in the ring settings of numerous celebrities. Angelina Jolie, Amal Clooney, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and Jennifer Lopez are some of the other celebs who have preferred the emerald-shaped diamond.
The engagement ring of Sharapova is significant as she remains one of the high-profile social media influencers, thanks to her popularity and endorsement agreements with major brands. Sharapova has around 4 million Instagram followers, and 14 million Facebook likes.
Sharapova last played a Tennis match in the first round of the 2020 Australian Open. She bid farewell from the game after the shock exit from the marquee tournament. Not many would have expected the retirement or the engagement for that matter.