Why engagement rings keep getting bigger – from Taylor Swift’s to the one chosen by Cristiano Ronaldo

Yet this parade of spectacular gems takes place while marriage itself is declining, with millions opting out. Marriage rates have reportedly been falling steadily for decades from the United States to China. These bold engagement rings may represent a desire for undeniable proof of commitment when so little feels certain.

Celebrities turning engagement rings into a display of both wealth and romance is nothing new, but today’s stones are breaking records not just in carats, but in their narrative weight. According to gender studies scholar Dr Sonia Wong, the public has always aspirationally looked to royal and celebrity relationships – and by extension, their marriages.

“We’re living in an increasingly secular society,” Wong observes. “Love is becoming transient, elusive and abstract. Marriage has been demystified and has become increasingly practical, if not entirely optional. It’s a conscious choice rather than a necessity, which means you need to justify it more to society.”

She adds that celebrities – whose relationships are often dissected or discredited by entertainment outlets and social media speculation – might feel added pressure to demonstrate the seriousness of their commitment with an undeniable statement: a ring as substantial as their proclaimed love. Or, as she puts it ironically: “If you can’t see the ring, is the love even real?”

While most visible among the elite, this phenomenon also reflects a broader cultural anxiety. In an era marked by dating app disillusionment, gender-based violence and online romance scams, love is constantly under question – fuelling a collective yearning for proof of commitment.