Celebrity Inspired
Taylor Swiftβs Engagement Ring: The Old Mine Cushion, Explained
Why an eighteenth-century cut looks softer and chunkier than a modern cushion β and what it takes to get that look right in moissanite or lab grown diamond.
Written by the Mapple Gems workshop, Surat Β· Updated 26 September 2026
Short answer: Taylor Swiftβs engagement ring, revealed in August 2025, is reported to be an old mine brilliant cushion-cut diamond in a hand-engraved yellow gold setting, designed by Travis Kelce with jeweller Kindred Lubeck of Artifex Fine Jewelry. The look comes from the antique cut: fewer, larger facets that give broad, blocky flashes. Our inspired version sets an old mine cushion moissanite or IGI-certified lab grown diamond in a milgrain bezel, 2 to 5 carats.
When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement on Instagram on 26 August 2025, the close-up of the ring did something few celebrity rings do: it sent people searching for a cut rather than a size. βOld mineβ went from a term used mostly by antique dealers to one of the most searched phrases in bridal jewellery within days.
This guide explains what the original ring is reported to be, what an old mine cushion actually is, and how to choose the stone and setting if you want the look in a ring you can wear every day.
What is known about the original ring
Swiftβs publicist confirmed the stone is an old mine brilliant cut. Swift has said in interviews that Kelce designed it with Kindred Lubeck, the New York goldsmith behind Artifex Fine Jewelry, whose work is known for hand engraving β and that she recognised the maker the moment she saw it. The stone is an elongated cushion shape in yellow gold, held in a low setting with a thick, engraved band.
The carat weight has not been confirmed. Published estimates range widely, from βmore than five caratsβ to eight to ten, and price estimates vary just as much. Treat any single figure you read as a guess.
What an old mine cut actually is
The old mine cut is the ancestor of todayβs cushion. It dates from the eighteenth century, when diamonds were cut by hand to keep as much weight as possible and to sparkle by candlelight. Compared with a modern cushion it has a higher crown, a smaller table, a squarish outline with softly rounded corners, and usually an open culet β a small flat facet at the bottom that shows as a tiny dot through the top of the stone.
That construction is why the look is so distinctive. Fewer, larger facets break light into broad, blocky flashes rather than the fine βcrushed iceβ glitter of many modern cushions. The stone looks calmer and more romantic, and it looks different from a standard engagement ring at a glance.
One honest point: a newly cut stone is not antique. When a jeweller today offers an βold mine cutβ in a newly grown stone, it means the style of cutting, not the age. That is true of every old mine cut moissanite and lab grown diamond on the market, including ours.
The original compared with our inspired version
| Swiftβs ring (as reported) | Mapple Gems inspired version | |
|---|---|---|
| Centre stone | Old mine brilliant cushion diamond | Old mine cushion moissanite or lab grown diamond |
| Size | Unconfirmed; estimates vary widely | 2, 3, 4 or 5 carats |
| Setting | Low setting, engraved yellow gold band | Milgrain bezel on a split shank |
| Metal | Yellow gold | 925 silver or solid 10K/14K/18K yellow, rose or white gold |
| Band decoration | Hand engraving | Milgrain beading β not hand engraving |
| Paperwork | Not public | IGI certificate with lab grown; moissanite is not graded |
For the closest match to the photographs, choose 14K or 18K yellow gold. Yellow gold also suits antique cuts for a practical reason: it warms the stone slightly and softens the contrast of its large flashes.
Moissanite or lab grown diamond for an old mine cushion?
Lab grown diamond is the closer match to the originalβs character. It is chemically diamond (Mohs 10, refractive index 2.42, dispersion 0.044), so its flashes are mostly white, as in the photographs. It comes with an IGI certificate. Remember that no laboratory gives a cut grade to any fancy shape, including cushions, so judge the cutting on rotating video.
Moissanite (silicon carbide, Mohs 9.25, dispersion 0.104) shows more coloured fire. Antique cuts actually suit it better than modern brilliants: larger facets separate the fire into fewer, bolder flashes instead of a constant rainbow shimmer. At 4 and 5 carats the colour will be noticeable in direct sunlight, and a yellow gold bezel calms it more than any other choice you can make.
From the workshop
Many stones sold today as βold mineβ are really modern cushions with a pointed culet and a larger table. The quickest check is to ask for a photograph straight down through the table: a genuine old mine style shows a small, round dot at the centre β the open culet. We also bezel-set these stones for a reason. An elongated cushion has four corners and a thin girdle, and a milgrain bezel protects all four in one wall of metal. The trade-off is that the bezel covers a fraction of a millimetre at each edge, so the stone reads very slightly smaller face-up than its measured size. We would rather that than a lost corner.
Before you order: a short checklist
- Choose the metal first β yellow gold for the closest match, white gold if you want the stone to look icier.
- Ask for the stoneβs face-up millimetres, not only carats, and compare them on the moissanite size chart or the lab grown diamond size chart.
- Ask for a photo through the table to see the culet.
- Ask for the shank thickness at the base β a split shank is quoted per strand and combined, so ask for both.
- Decide on your wedding band now: a bezel and split shank sit best beside a plain band of matching karat.
Keep reading
Frequently asked questions
What cut is Taylor Swiftβs engagement ring?
Her publicist confirmed it is an old mine brilliant cut β an antique-style cushion with a high crown, small table and large facets. It is set in yellow gold.
Who designed Taylor Swiftβs engagement ring?
Travis Kelce designed it with Kindred Lubeck, the New York goldsmith and hand engraver who founded Artifex Fine Jewelry.
How many carats is Taylor Swiftβs ring?
The carat weight has not been confirmed. Published estimates vary widely, from over five carats to eight to ten, so no single figure should be treated as fact.
Is moissanite or lab grown diamond better for an old mine cushion look?
Lab grown diamond is closer to the originalβs mostly white flashes and comes with an IGI certificate. Moissanite costs less and shows more coloured fire; antique cuts and yellow gold both help keep that fire bold rather than busy.
Is the Mapple Gems ring a replica of Taylor Swiftβs ring?
No. It shares the style β an old mine cushion centre in a low yellow gold setting β but uses a milgrain bezel and split shank rather than hand engraving, and it is not affiliated with or endorsed by Taylor Swift or her ringβs designer.
The old mine cushion look, made to order in Surat
2 to 5 carats, milgrain bezel, silver to 18K gold.
In moissanite In lab grown diamondMapple Gems is an independent workshop in Surat, India, and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Kindred Lubeck or Artifex Fine Jewelry. βInspiredβ describes a design reference, not a copy of any designerβs work. Details of the original ring come from published reporting; carat and price figures in the press are estimates.
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