Beyoncé surprised her fans when she revealed a new engagement ring during the premiere of the CGI Lion King prequel Mufasa on Monday.
Instead of her usual $5 million emerald-cut diamond ring, the 43-year-old singer was seen wearing a more elaborate ring adorned with three large diamonds.
The replacement ring caught attention in an Instagram video posted by Julia Chafé, a gem wholesaler and social media influencer, who pointed out that Beyoncé started wearing this new ring in September this year.
Despite the ring’s opulence, fans were remarkably unified in the comments with negative appraisals of it.
Some commenters also wondered about the timing of Beyoncé’s new jewelry acquisition after her husband Jay-Z was accused in a lawsuit of raping a 13-year-old girl with Diddy at a party after the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. The 55-year-old rapper vehemently denied the accusations in a bizarre statement posted shortly afterward.
Chafé — who described the original ring as having a 24-carat diamond, though it has previously been reported to be an 18-carat stone — noted that the new ring may have been the recut stone with additional diamonds, or it may have been completely new to the hitmaker.
Beyoncé shocked her fans after showing off an apparent replacement for her original engagement ring Monday’s premiere of the computer-generated Lion King prequel Mufasa; pictured in Hollywood
She previously wore a stunning emerald-cut diamond described as being 18 carats and costing around $5 million; pictured in 2011 at the US Open in Queens, NYC
The newest ring also features a long emerald-cut stone in the center, but it features trapezoid-shaped diamonds on either side. Fans were almost universally negative toward it; pictured Monday in Hollywood
The jewelry influencer noted that Beyonce’s current ring featured a ‘super-elongated emerald cut’ diamond in the center with ‘trapezoid side stones that I’ve never seen anything similar to before.’
She added that she wasn’t even sure how the ring’s designer had ‘sourced’ the unusual side stones.
Chafé added that Beyoncé’s original ring was designed by the celebrity jewelry Lorraine Schwartz, though she wasn’t sure if Schwartz had returned to create the new ring.
However, she clarified that Schwartz has continued to design pieces for Beyoncé in the years since making her original engagement ring.
Beyoncé hasn’t been shy about showing off the ring since apparently debuting it in September, and some fans noted that her birthday is September 4, so the ring may have been a birthday present.
Fans almost universally gave the ring a thumbs down in the comments.
‘That ring is ugly,’ wrote on person who summed up the most popular sentiment.
‘Girl, i love my jewels in all their forms but …. This is lowkey ugly,’ agreed another poster.
The gem wholesaler Julia Chafé noted Beyonce began wearing the ring in September. She wasn’t sure if it was built around the original stone — designed by Lorraine Schwartz — or if it was completely new
Fans almost universally gave the ring a thumbs down in the comments, with several fans calling it ‘ugly’
Others derided Beyoncé for getting a new ring presumably worth millions when that money could have been better used to help others
Several people suggested the ring was related to rape accusations made against Jay-Z, but Beyoncé began wearing the ring months before they came to light
Another fan joked the ring was ‘typical “I’m guilty please don’t leave me” jewelry,’ but one person tried to reign in things by adding that the ring could have been a birthday present
A few fans appeared to think it was insensitive of Chafé to post her video shortly after the accusations against Jay-Z came to light, though her video didn’t allude to them or even imply that they played a part in the creation of the ring
Others derided Beyoncé for getting a new ring presumably worth millions when that money could have been better used to help others.
‘I think that her ring could pay for kids college tuition, feed even more, and relieve some people’s debt. It’s ugly and gross in the face off all the poverty in the world [sic],’ one user complained.
‘The ring is Gauche just like the couple,’ another commenter seethed.
Many fans thought the ring was somehow connected to rape accusations leveled against Beyoncé’s husband Jay-Z over the weekend, though she began wearing the ring months before those accusations were made publicly.
‘The things we focus on Her rings?? What about her husbands accusation of raping a, 13-year-old.??? [sic],’ wrote a user.
Another fan joked the ring was ‘typical “I’m guilty please don’t leave me” jewelry.’
A few fans appeared to think it was improper of Chafé to post her video shortly after the accusations against Jay-Z came to light, though her video didn’t allude to them or even imply that they played a part in the creation of the ring.
‘Hmmm I think this is very insensitive due to the accusations,’ one person weighed in.
rarely wears her original ring due to concerns about safety due to fears of being robbed over it, and also because the stone is large and unwieldy in day-to-day situations, The Mirror previously reported; pictured in 2011 at the US Open in Queens, NYC
She wore the ring in October at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris with her Destiny’s Child colleague Kelly Rowland
But Beyonce has worn many different rings on her left ring finger for short periods of time, and she has a tattoo of a roman number four for when she wears no ring
‘Yall posting this to creative a negative narrative [sic],’ opined another fan who seemed to believe the same thing.
Regardless of the details behind Beyoncé’s newest ring, she’s not a consistent engagement ring wearer.
She rarely wears her original ring due to concerns about safety due to fears of being robbed over it, and also because the stone is large and unwieldy in day-to-day situations, The Mirror previously reported.
Beyoncé and Jay notably have the number four tattooed in Roman numerals, so she always has something on her ring finger even when she goes ring-free.
The number is believed to symbolize the face that husband and wife were both born on the fourth day of the month, and that they were married on the fourth day of the fourth month of the year.
The Drunk In Love singer has also previously worn other rings on her left ring finger for short periods of time, so it’s uncertain if her newest bling will become her default ring, though it does appear to be the most opulent of the rings she has in rotation.
