When someone in the public eye gets engaged, especially a royal, the first question on a jewelry lover’s mind is: “What does the ring look like?” In the case of Princess Alexandra of Hanover, who recently became betrothed to her decade-long partner, Ben-Sylvester Strautmann, we at 1stDibs are lucky enough to have the full dope on the jewel. That’s because Strautmann purchased the ring on 1stDibs from Antinori di Sanpietro. We met with Andrea Landolfi and Alessandra Antinori, the Rome-based married couple behind the brand, to discuss the royal proposal and engagement-ring trends.
Antinori says that Strautmann connected with the firm on 1stDibs, and the ring he ended up purchasing for Princess Alexandra features a 4.8-carat VVS1-clarity fancy yellow cushion-cut diamond flanked by a pair of trillion-cut white diamonds. The center stone is set in 18-karat yellow gold, and the trillion-cut stones are set in 18-karat white gold. “It’s a classic engagement ring,” Antinori says.
Yellow diamonds have been growing in popularity for years, both in engagement rings and other jewelry — Zendaya, Lady Gaga and Anne Hathaway are among the celebrities who have sported the canary-colored stones on the red carpet. “We’re seeing a lot of interest in fancy yellow diamonds, especially among younger people,” Antinori says.
She attributes this in part to the rise of lab-grown white diamonds, which has led many jewel aficionados to opt instead for colored gems. “In the last year, we have seen a lot of interest in colored gemstones, especially emeralds, rubies and sapphires,” Antinori says, adding that she’s also seen a rise in popularity for old mine-cut diamonds and unconventional stones like bubblegum-pink sapphires.
After Strautmann purchased the ring on 1stDibs, Antinori and Landolfi made plans to travel from Rome to Monte Carlo to hand deliver the ring ahead of the proposal. “We feel very grateful that he picked us,” Antinori says.
“The ring’s under gallery features a design created by our designer, inspired by the geometric paving of Piazza del Campidoglio, in Rome,” Landolfi says. “She deconstructed and reinterpreted its distinctive pattern, transforming this iconic element of Roman architecture into the structural language of the ring.”
“She represents the future of the monarchy,” Antinori says of Princess Alexandra. The 27-year-old bride-to-be’s mother is Princess Caroline, and her grandmother was Grace Kelly, the Oscar-winning actress turned royal whose style, elegance and beauty are legendary — after all, the Hermès Kelly bag is named for her. Kelly’s engagement ring from Prince Rainier III is similarly legendary, because of its enduring influence in the design world. The Cartier jewel, which Kelly famously wore in the 1956 film High Society, features a 10.48-carat emerald-cut white diamond flanked by a pair of baguettes. It was actually her second engagement ring — the first was an eternity band set with diamonds and rubies, the colors of Monaco’s flag. Both rings are still in possession of the Monaco royal family, which loaned the emerald-cut one to the V&A for its 2025 Cartier exhibition.
Much like her grandmother before her, Princess Alexandra seems ready to write the next chapter of her life, marked by a stunning jewel. Judging by the series of jubilant engagement photos she has posted on Instagram, it looks like she can’t wait to begin.
