Lauren Sánchez is famous for her flashy jewels, but some fans are in an uproar over her latest sparkler – they think it might be so poorly made that she could easily lose her pricey bauble.
The 55-year-old former journalist showed off her first envy-inducing diamond ring back in 2023, after her now-husband Jeff Bezos proposed aboard his $500 million superyacht, Koru.
While it’s quite sizable, the Amazon founder, 61, hid the ring underneath her pillow after they had a romantic dinner outside to pop the question.
The original bling is estimated to be about 30 carats and has been valued between $3 and $5 million. Sánchez revealed in an interview with Vogue that the center stone is a rare pink diamond with a rose tone.
However, Sánchez was quick to upgrade her multimillion dollar engagement ring for her actual wedding.
During her over-the-top wedding week in Venice, Italy, Sánchez showed off a new dazzler that jewelers previously told the Daily Mail they believe is worth between a mindboggling $1.5 million and $5 million, which is just a drop in the bucket for the billionaire.
While the ring surely impressed their slew of celebrity wedding guests, on social media, people quickly called out the design for seemingly being too delicate to support the massive diamond.
Now, insiders are exclusively revealing to the Daily Mail whether the oversized diamond from jeweler to the stars Lorraine Schwartz will hold up, or if it’s at risk of being lost during Sánchez’s next space or yacht excursion.
Deena Bassam, the owner of Deena Diamond Designs, shared a viral TikTok declaring, ‘A band that thin with a diamond that size… It’s an accident waiting to happen,’ including a closeup of the jewel. Bassam went on to say in the caption, ‘I’m scared.’
The Dallas-based jewelry designer explained that ‘Your ring should not only fit your aesthetic preferences but also suite your lifestyle.’ Sánchez is famously busy, often traveling the world with Bezos on his boat and even venturing to space on his star-studded Blue Origin flight alongside singer Katy Perry.
Bassam exclusively told the Daily Mail that she tells her own clients, ‘There is no piece of jewelry that is made of precious metals and diamonds or gemstone that is indestructible, no matter how well crafted it is.’
When Bassam crafts pieces she always gives ‘honest, upfront advice on potential risks’ as well as suggesting less risky options for particularly delicate designs.
Bassam’s commenters were quick to voice their concerns on social media, with many appalled by the sheer size of the diamond and its seemingly wildly delicate band.
Many thought the ring could be structurally weakened because of all of the smaller diamonds, putting it at even greater risk. However, it’s likely Sánchez doesn’t partake in the activities of plebeians, like packing luggage or washing dishes, where she could easily lose a gem.
‘They’re filthy rich and I’m sure it’s insured. If it pops out, she’ll get another,’ one person mused.
‘With their money, it literally doesn’t matter if it breaks in like a month and she loses it,’ another commenter wrote, as Bezos is said to be worth an estimated $238.8 billion.
Gemologist Olivia Landau told the Daily Mail that it’s ‘typically not recommended to set a diamond (especially in that large of a size) in a band that thin.’
‘If the band is too thin… the pave diamonds are more likely to fall out,’ Landau, based in New York City, said.
However, not everyone believes it’s an accident waiting to happen.
‘Platinum is basically the workhorse of fine jewelry – strong, durable and built to last,’ Monil Kothari, CEO and founder of Haus of Brilliance jewelry, told the Daily Mail.
Kothari thinks ‘the design actually looks smart’, because ‘it appears to distribute the diamond’s weight evenly across the finger, which takes a ton of pressure off the band itself’, which is ‘not poor craftsmanship’.
‘My hot take? It’s a gorgeous stone, a beautiful ring, and there’s way too much haterade online,’ Kothari said.
‘Honestly, I find it laughable that people are speculating that the founder of Amazon is sitting around hoping the ring fails so he can collect on an insurance claim. This isn’t an amateur hour jewelry job,’ Kothari continued.
‘Bezos isn’t shopping on Alibaba – any professional worth their salt makes sure a ring like this is engineered to last.’