All About Beyoncé's 24-Carat Diamond Engagement Ring, Including Why She Rarely Wears It

Beyoncé’s emerald-cut sparkler is set on a split-shank pavé band

NEED TO KNOW

• Beyoncé’s engagement ring features a 24-carat emerald-cut diamond and is estimated to be worth $5 million

• She and Jay-Z had a secret wedding in 2008 with only 40 guests, including Kelly Rowland and Chris Martin
• The couple have matching Roman numeral IV tattoos symbolizing their birthdates and wedding anniversary

With a nickname like Queen Bey, it’s no surprise Beyoncé has a stunning engagement ring.

The “Crazy in Love” singer and her husband Jay-Z first started dating sometime between 2000 and 2001. The couple dated for about seven years before tying the knot in a secret ceremony in New York on April 4, 2008. Jay-Z popped the question with an emerald-cut diamond ring designed by celebrity jeweler Lorraine Schwartz.

Speaking with Essence magazine in October 2008, Beyoncé said she opted for a small and intimate ceremony because she is not a “traditional woman” and it’s been her “day so many days already.”

The singer also told the outlet that she rarely wears her 24-carat engagement ring. Instead, she dons a simple band on her ring finger over a tattoo of the Roman numeral IV, which matches the tattoo on Jay-Z’s left-hand ring finger.

Here’s everything to know about Beyoncé’s engagement ring. 

The ring features a large emerald-cut diamond

Beyoncé has an engagement ring fit for her superstar status. It features an emerald-cut diamond set on a split-shank pavé band and is estimated to be worth about $5 million. 

Beyoncé’s custom ring was designed by celebrity jeweler Lorraine Schwartz, who has worked with several other A-list stars on their engagement rings, including Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian.

The “Texas Hold 'Em” singer has worn jewels by Schwartz on several other occasions and, in 2021, the two launched the Beyoncé Knowles-Carter x Lorraine Schwartz GIA Scholarship. Speaking with Only Natural Diamonds in 2021, Schwartz called Beyoncé her “muse.”

“The way she wears the jewelry with such confidence, style and grace is forever inspirational,” she said.

Beyoncé initially didn’t want an engagement ring

Though Beyoncé rocks a stunning sparkler, she initially didn’t want an engagement ring. During her 2008 interview with Essence, the singer opened up about how she and Jay-Z “always knew” they would marry and that she didn’t feel the need to have a ring.

“People put too much emphasis on that,” she said. “It’s just material and it’s just silly to me.”

Beyoncé added, “What Jay and I have is real. It’s not about interviews or getting the right photo op. It’s real.”

Beyoncé and Jay-Z kept their engagement and wedding a secret

Beyoncé and Jay-Z kept the details of their engagement under wraps and shared very few details of their top-secret wedding.

The pair tied the knot on April 4, 2008, under a white tent in the living room of Jay-Z’s Manhattan penthouse. There were only 40 guests in attendance, including Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams and Chris Martin.

"It was a very emotional wedding — lots of crying — and really very spiritual," a source told PEOPLE at the time. 

Beyoncé has worn her engagement ring to a few red carpet events

While Beyoncé doesn’t always wear her engagement ring, she has given fans a glimpse at the sparkler during a few red carpet appearances. A year after tying the knot, the singer donned her ring at the Oscars and Golden Globe Awards.

She also wore her engagement ring at the 2014 Grammys, where she performed her hit song “Drunk in Love” with Jay-Z.  

Beyoncé and Jay-Z have matching wedding ring tattoos

Beyoncé might not wear her engagement ring often, but she still marks her ring finger with a special symbol of her and Jay-Z’s love.

The couple have matching ring finger tattoos of the Roman numeral IV, which represents their birthdates and wedding day — Beyoncé was born on September 4, Jay-Z on December 4 and they tied the knot on April 4.

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