Are rings representing divorce the newest form of self-love?
Model Emily Ratajkowski has shown her newest jewelry acquisitions: divorce rings, a daring move that subverts conventional ideas of jewelry and personal development. After divorcing Sebastian Bear-McClard in 2022, with whom she had a son named Sylvester, Ratajkowski made the decision to transform her old engagement ring into two new ring designs, giving them fresh significance and symbolism.
Ratajkowski revealed the news on Instagram, sharing the motivations and goals behind the creative idea. “The rings symbolize my individual growth,” she disclosed in a Vogue exclusive interview. “I don’t think a woman should be stripped of her diamonds just because she’s losing a man.”
Ratajkowski got the inspiration to alter the rings when she was reading her friend Stephanie Danler’s The Unravelers piece in The Paris Review. “It includes the story of her grandmother’s snake ring—a ring that is made up of the different stones from her various marriages,” she said. “I loved the idea of a ring unabashedly representing the many lives a woman has lived.”
View this post on Instagram
Joining together with her friend, the jeweler Alison Chemla, who is the creative director of the fine jewelry company Alison Lou, Ratajkowski set out to turn her old engagement ring into divorce rings. “Emily and I spent a lot of time talking about what she wanted and how she wanted to feel when wearing the rings,” Chemla said.
Their partnership has produced a gorgeous set of rings that completely change the style of Ratajkowski’s previous engagement ring. “The idea of divorce is a separation, so it was always going to be splitting the ring into two separate but complementary rings,” Chemla said. Both pieces have platinum and 18-karat yellow gold settings, as well as the original engagement ring’s stones, which are a princess-cut and pear-shaped diamond.
Ratajkowski took a cue from Rihanna for the new rings’ silhouette. “I was very inspired by Rihanna’s diamond pinky-toe ring—I liked the idea of my former wedding ring ending up on my pinky,” she said. Ratajkowski faced a dilemma with the princess cut since she wanted a style that was both modern and classic. “Alison and I worked together to find something that felt fresh but also timeless,” she stated.
Beyond the creative process, Ratajkowski has great personal meaning for the rings, which represent a pivotal moment in her life. “The ring became symbolic to me—some kind of token or evidence of my life becoming my own again,” she said.
After donning the rings for the first time, Ratajkowski had a surge of confidence and used her accessories to change the conversation about divorce and moving on.
She sees the rings as a reminder of her capacity to pursue pleasure and satisfaction on her own as she looks to the future. “Somehow, these rings feel like a reminder that I can make myself happy in ways I never imagined,” she said.
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.
