From Jackie Kennedy to Megan Fox.
When it comes to engagement ring trends, a two-stone sparkler that symbolizes a couple coming together might just be the most sentimental statement of all. While it’s certainly not a new concept, toi et moi styles continue to remain popular thanks to its inherently sweet meaning in French (the language of love!): you and me.
Also referred to by the slightly less romantically named “Bypass ring,” the choice to have two contrasting stones adjoining is intended to represent how each person brings their own uniqueness to the union. While we might think of present-day A-listers when it comes to toi et moi rings, the first known influencer to show off the style was Josephine de Beauharnais. When the formidable Napoleon Bonaparte popped the question to his first wife in 1796, he did so with a double whammy in the form of a pear-cut diamond and blue sapphire ring. Over two centuries later, it still inspires imitations.
It’s no surprise that taking this route is an endearingly popular choice for those who also want to nod to personalized details like birthstones, incorporate a family heirloom diamond, or play with contrasts in their favorite shapes, sizes, and colors. As today’s style-conscious couples continue to look for conversation-starting details like asymmetry and unexpected or non-traditional design, we can expect to see toi et moi rings remain a go-to category.
Read on for a list of trend-setters to help you get the design inspiration flowing.
Jacqueline Kennedy
When it comes to prevailing style icons, it doesn’t get more impactful than former First Lady, Jackie Kennedy. A fixture on mood boards and wishlists since her 1953 engagement to John F. Kennedy, her Van Cleef & Arpels ring set the tone for a generation of jewelry lovers. The memorable ring included a 2.88-carat diamond next to a 2.84-carat emerald, surrounded by tapered baguettes. According to historians, it was later upgraded to include an additional 2.12 carats worth of marquise and round diamonds to mimic the look of a laurel wreath nestled underneath. Fans can visit it in real life too, as it’s on display in all its glory at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.
Solange Knowles
Music video director Alan Ferguson opted to take the Art Deco-inspired avenue when he proposed to Solange Knowles. (And who could forget this stylish couple’s impossibly chic all-white New Orleans wedding from 2014!) Knowles’ ring featured a prong-set square cut diamond flanked by an emerald cut diamond, with a slight gap between the precious stones. Sadly, the singer lost the special ring in 2016 while at the Mardi Gras parade—and three years later, in 2019, the couple called it quits.
Emily Ratajkowski
Leave it to model, author, and fashion plate Emily Ratajkowski to single-handedly bring back a revival in the historic style. In 2018, Ratajkowski debuted her eye-catching dual-stone ring, when she revealed she was engaged to producer Sebastian Bear-McClard. The internet-breaking ring featured an adjoining 2-carat princess cut diamond and a tilted 3-carat pear cut diamond, designed by her friend Alison Chemla of Alison Lou. Following her 2022 divorce from Bear-McClard, the model and mom refashioned her rock into two pieces, coining a whole new and equally influential idea—divorce rings!—in the process.
Megan Fox
There’s nothing traditional about Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly’s style, so a regular run-of-the-mill ring was never going to cut it. The rapper enlisted Stephen Webster to collaborate on a thoroughly unique take on the toi et moi idea when he decided to get down on one knee in 2022. Fox’s ring combines two pear-shaped stones in the form of a vivid emerald and a brilliant white diamond, believed to be around three carats each. The ring, estimated to be worth $415,000, also features thorn-esque detailing on the 18-carat gold pavé band. The quirky couple have since announced their split, but are expecting their first child together later this year.
Ariana Grande
