Melania Trump's Engagement Ring And Wedding Band Were Wildly Expensive

Melania Trump's fashion sense has been scrutinized endlessly since she became the first lady in 2016. Her aesthetic is chic, lavish, and extravagant, and that high-end style begins with an item she acquired long before she set foot on the political scene: her engagement ring. Donald Trump proposed to Melania back in 2004, presenting her with a 25-carat whopper of a diamond ring from Oprah Winfrey's jeweler at the time, Graff. 

The first lady has always been tight-lipped when it comes to price tags, but U.K. diamond expert Maxwell Stone told Hello! Magazine that it could be worth more than most people could wrap their heads around. "Melania Trump's engagement ring is nothing short of mesmerizing, featuring a 25-carat emerald cut diamond that perfectly exemplifies her sophisticated taste and timeless elegance," he explained. "In comparison, the average engagement ring in the UK is just 1 carat — underscoring how Donald truly spared no expense for her stunning centre stone." Stone noted that the diamond has "exceptional clarity and brilliance," which is even more visible thanks to the silhouette of the emerald cut. "Reportedly sourced from Graff ... I'd estimate its value to be an impressive $4 million," Stone added.

A $4 million worth already means this is one of the most expensive celebrity engagement rings in the world, but Melania further added to her pricey collection at her 2005 nuptials, where she was given her wedding band. "While wedding bands are typically subtle in nature, Melania's is anything but," Stone said. "Also reportedly from Graff, her platinum band features 15 emerald cut diamonds weighing a total of 13 carats. With such remarkable craftsmanship, I'd estimate its worth to be around $250,000." If that weren't enough, Donald gifted Melania another sparkling ring for their 10th anniversary, which consisted of 25 carats and carried a low-key $3 million worth. 

Melania Trump's proposal from Donald Trump was just as closed off as the rest of their relationship, but the now-president alluded to the press afterward that he didn't have to pay full price for the engagement ring. "Only a fool would say, 'No thank you, I want to pay a million dollars more for a diamond,'" he shared with The New York Times, who reported that the ring retailed for $1.5 million, in 2005. "Literally anything you can imagine from photos to flowers to food to jets to airports to diamonds. And for every item, there's five people who want to do it. In all cases they don't want anything, but they want recognition."

However, the aforementioned scrutiny that began surrounding the Trumps when they entered politics prompted investigations into this claim, and in 2018, Forbes revealed that the president may not have been telling the truth back in his 2005 interview. Graff's chairman, Laurence Graff, noted in an email to the outlet that Donald "was given no favors" despite being "a pleasure to do business with." Then, Graff CFO Nicholas Paine confirmed, "We don't sell items for publicity value."

Regardless of specific prices, Melania Trump told CNN's Larry King that she doesn't buy things because they're expensive, nor does she spend her money frivolously or take advantage of her husband's wealth: "I grew up ... always taking care of the money ... not like a big spender." She confirmed that she really has to love something in order to buy it, telling King, "I'm not just shop to shop. I made a lot of money myself so I know how it is to work and what money is." While that may be true, Melania Trump has still built quite a collection of expensive outfits over the years.