Grace Kelly's 10.48 Carat Engagement Ring Is Legendary - But It Wasn't Her First

When Prince Rainier III of Monaco first proposed to actor Grace Kelly in 1955, it wasn't with the 10.88-carat stunner that Kelly famously wore throughout their marriage. Instead, he popped the question with something less flashy: an eternity band. Instead of an iceberg-sized diamond, the ring, likely crafted by Cartier, featured rubies and diamonds in homage to the colors of the Monaco flag. Following Kelly's 1982 death, the ring, which was created with heirloom stones belonging to the royal family of Monaco, passed back into the family's care.

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Reportedly, Rainier purchased the second ring for Kelly later, after learning she would be wearing a diamond ring as part of her costuming in her final film, "High Society." While the original eternity band might not be as jaw-dropping as the larger baguette-flanked diamond that Kelly wore for most of her life, it has its own charm, due to its chic, minimal style and symbolic meaning. In fact, many of history's most stylish women, Kelly included, have worn subtle wedding bands in lieu of enormous diamonds as a way of making the engagement ring tradition personal.

While large focal stones tend to get the most press, like the massive diamonds featured on many of the most iconic Old Hollywood engagement rings, eternity bands can be a tasteful alternative. Many women, who remain fashion icons even years after their passing, have proved it. When Audrey Hepburn got engaged to Mel Ferrer, he gifted her a stackable trio of bands, including a platinum eternity ring featuring baguette-cut diamonds. Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's stunning engagement ring was a sapphire and diamond eternity band, in keeping with her minimalistic style. "It is beautiful in its simplicity," wrote one Reddit user of the low-profile design. Similarly, Marilyn Monroe, whose iconic style was informed by a desire for comfort, received an engagement band of vertically set baguette diamonds from baseball star Joe DiMaggio that sold for auction for $772,500 in 1999.

While big diamonds tend to garner much of the engagement ring discourse, eternity bands are an alternative that can often feel more personal. "I love eternity bands as engagement rings, especially really spectacular ones," wrote one Reddit user. "I think it looks super chic." Traditionally, wedding sets include both an engagement ring and a wedding band. But an eternity band is an option for brides who prefer to only wear one ring. "Using one ring for both an engagement ring and a wedding ring is becoming incredibly popular," Keira Wraae-Stewart, who founded the jewelry store ætla, told Elle.