Key Takeaways:
- Kim Kardashian claims she funded 80% of her engagement ring from Kris Humphries.
- Humphries later demanded the ring back during their divorce and auctioned it for $749,000.
- Kanye West’s advice led Kim to leave her original engagement ring at home, saving it from the 2016 Paris robbery.
- Kim plans to pass down her original engagement ring from Kanye to her daughter, North West.
Kim Kardashian’s Engagement Rings: Love, Loss, and Legacy
Kim Kardashian has long been in the public eye, with her relationships and extravagant engagement rings often making headlines. From her short-lived marriage to NBA player Kris Humphries to her highly publicized union with rapper Kanye West, each ring has a story—one of love, lessons, and lasting memories.
Kim’s Engagement Ring from Kris Humphries: The Price of a Short-Lived Marriage
In 2011, Kris Humphries proposed to Kim with an 18-carat emerald-cut diamond ring, designed by Lorraine Schwartz. While the ring was valued at approximately $2 million, Kim recently revealed on The Kardashians that she personally covered 80% of the cost, with Humphries contributing just “a fifth.”
Their marriage lasted only 72 days before Kim filed for divorce. During their split, she was pregnant with her first child, North, and says Humphries insisted she return the ring as part of their divorce settlement.
“I didn’t keep that. I was pregnant with North, still married to him, and in order to divorce him, he said I had to give him the ring,” Kim stated on the show.
Humphries later sold the ring at auction for $749,000—significantly less than its estimated worth. His representative confirmed at the time that the ring was “Kris’ property through the marriage dissolution” and that he was “very pleased with the final result” of the sale.
Kanye West’s Engagement Rings: A Tale of Romance and Caution
Kim’s next engagement, this time to Kanye West, came with not one but two dazzling diamond rings. In 2013, Kanye proposed with a stunning 15-carat cushion-cut diamond ring. Three years later, he gifted her an upgraded 20-carat emerald-cut diamond ring.
Kim frequently wore both rings, even flaunting them at Madison Square Garden in an Instagram post. However, Kanye warned her about the risks of showcasing her expensive jewelry so publicly.
“Kanye saw it and he goes, ‘Don’t you ever wear both of your rings at the same time. Are you looking to get robbed?'” she recalled.
His warning turned out to be eerily prophetic. During Paris Fashion Week in 2016, Kim was the victim of a terrifying armed robbery in her hotel room. The thieves made off with approximately $10 million worth of jewelry, including the 20-carat engagement ring. However, thanks to Kanye’s earlier advice, she had left her original 15-carat ring at home, sparing it from the heist.
A Precious Heirloom for North West
Despite the traumatic experience, Kim still holds onto the sentimental value of her original engagement ring from Kanye. She has now revealed that she plans to pass it down to her eldest daughter, North.
“That one, I’m gonna give to Northy, because she was with me when I got engaged, and she held it after, and I took a photo—she was just a few months old,” Kim shared.
This decision highlights the deep emotional attachment she has to the ring, making it more than just a luxurious piece of jewelry but a cherished family heirloom.
