Celebrity

Maria Sharapova is a famous tennis players and she recently got engaged to Alexander Gilkes — learn more about her $400,000 engagement ring.

Published on April 14, 2021

Maria Sharapova is one of the most famous tennis stars of the 21st century, and not just because of her performance in tournaments. Sharapova is a crossover star off the court, as the celebrity’s fame extends beyond the sports industry and into the entertainment world, thanks in part to her looks getting her modeling jobs and endorsement deals. As a star in both sports and entertainment, Sharapova’s personal life is in the spotlight, so it made news when she got engaged — and her luxurious engagement ring is getting headlines of its own. Here are the details of the beautiful piece of jewelry.

Maria Sharapova gets engaged

Sharapova turned pro in 2001 when she was still a teenager and quickly took the tennis world by storm. She climbed into the top 50 world rankings by the end of 2003, thanks in part to earning her first two professional titles. Her WTA biography tells us has amassed 36 career singles championships since then, including five Grand Slam titles. She has reached the No. 1 ranking multiple times, first achieving it in 2005. Between her career earnings in tennis and her other jobs, Celebrity Net Worth estimates Sharapova’s net worth at $180 million. She began dating her now-fiancé Alexander Gilkes in 2018, and they announced their engagement in December 2020.

Who is Sharapova’s fiancé Alexander Gilkes?

Gilkes isn’t nearly as well-known as Sharapova because he isn’t a celebrity. Essentially Sports reports he was born and raised in London to a dermatologist father. His education includes attending prestigious schools that include Eton College, Berkshire, and the University of Bristol; he befriended Prince Harry while attending college. He moved to New York in 2008 and, in 2011, he founded online auction house Paddle8.

Instore Magazine writes that Gilkes served as Paddle8’s president until 2018. He currently heads up Squared Circles, a venture studio that helps to build, accelerate, and invest in businesses that seek to improve the world. He was previously married to fashion designer Misha Nonoo. The couple got married in 2012 and separated in 2016, with the divorce getting finalized in the summer of 2017. Bugle 24 estimates that he has a net worth of $20 million. 

Maria Sharapova’s engagement ring

With a combined net worth of approximately $200 million, the couple won’t need to be thrifty when planning their wedding, or when picking out the jewelry they buy for each other. That was evident when Sharapova revealed her engagement ring in an Instagram post on New Year’s Day. In the post in which she said goodbye to 2020 and hello to 2021, Sharapova wrote that the departing year gave her “the gift and commitment of a lifetime waking up next to my best friend every morning. Incredibly inspired for what’s to come in 2021. Happy New Year!!” The ring, which was designed by Jessica McCormack, is valued at more than $400,000. What makes it so valuable?

The famed designer made an emerald-cut diamond ring that has the sizable gem in the center of the ring, cradled in a yellow-gold bezel setting. Unlike prongs, the bezel setting “completely frame[s] the circumference of a diamond with a rim of protective precious metal.” The emerald cut, which was popularized in the 1920s, conveys a regal elegance to the ring while being understated. It features ‘stepped facets [that] allow the admirer to see clearly into the stone, revealing its perfection.'” McCormack uses a button-back setting that increases the refraction of light, giving the stone more depth. It also sits low on the finger, closer to the skin, and is comfortable to wear. 

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