Yesterday I saw Drew Barrymore showing off her gorgeous engagement ring on Instagram. Got curious about who designed it, so started poking around. Clicked through every tagged post but found zero designer info. Annoying.
The Deep Dive Begins
Googled “drew barrymore engagement ring designer” like a madman. Scrolled through endless gossip sites repeating she was “engaged” with no details. Finally found one tiny blog buried deep in page 3. Boom – it’s Neil Lane. Supposedly designed it around 2023? Not verified anywhere official. Whatever.
The Price Shock
Next mission: check how much that bling costs. Searched “neil lane drew barrymore ring price”. Zero exact matches. Typical. But damn, similar Neil Lane rings pop up. Jaw hit the floor seeing numbers like $150K-$300K+. Laughed out loud. My budget is closer to $500.
Moved straight to plan B:
- Snapped screenshots of every clear ring angle I could find
- Studied details – central oval diamond, yellow gold band, smaller stones around it
- Saved similar ring photos from jewelry sites NOT costing a house
Hunting Dupes for Humans
Got practical. Typed “affordable oval halo yellow gold ring” everywhere. Scrolled Etsy, checked mall jewelers’ sale sections online, even clicked sketchy-looking sponsored ads. Didn’t care. Found solid options fast:
- Lab-grown diamond rings: Looked identical to mined diamonds but 70% cheaper. Seriously tempting.
- Moissanite versions: Even cheaper sparkle, though slightly more rainbow flashes.
- Plain gold bands with illusion settings: Fake it till you make it vibes.
Saw a near-perfect dupe on a discount site. Oval center stone, halo design, yellow gold. Only $385. Zoomed in – setting looked kinda thin and wobbly. Read 50 reviews screaming “stone fell out after 2 weeks”. Pass. Kept hunting.
What I Actually Bought
Found a local jeweler advertising customizable rings. Walked in, showed Barrymore’s ring pic plus similar affordable styles I saved. Guy nodded wisely. Explained replicating exactly Neil Lane-level work costs way more than I’d pay. So I compromised:
- Kept the oval halo look but chose moissanite over diamond
- Opted for thicker gold band to avoid future disasters
- Skipped elaborate engraving details
Total damage: $427 with tax. Got a basic velvet box. Took it home feeling proud of my detective work… even if Drew ain’t losing sleep over my knockoff.
Still stare at that $300K Neil Lane page sometimes though. Sigh.