Why Cassie’s 3-Stone Engagement Ring on Euphoria Says a Lot About Nate

As Maddy (Alexa Demie) realizes in this season of Euphoria, Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) waited years for a ring from Nate (Jacob Elordi), her high school sweetheart. When he finally proposed, Nate didn’t give Cassie a simple solitaire with an enormous diamond. Instead, he opted for a three-stone ring with a round center diamond and pear-shaped side stones.

A close-up of Cassie’s engagement ring on Euphoria.

The choice says more about him than Cassie, according to Steph Mazuera, who founded her own namesake brand that creates made-to-order engagement rings. “It suggests a preference for convention, with a legacy-driven aesthetic,” she explains to ELLE. “There’s a sense that the choice was guided by what a ring should be, rather than what feels personal. That aligns with the tension we see between the two characters in the show, with Nate wanting Cassie to play the role of a picture-perfect fiancée. I believe the ring reflects the version of himself he’s intent on presenting to others, someone with stability and status.”

Alison Chemla, founder of Alison Lou, agrees, saying, “The ring feels very intentional in its traditionality. It’s polished, idealized, and instantly recognizable as a ‘perfect’ engagement ring, which mirrors a desire for validation and a picture-perfect narrative. It’s less about individuality and more about projecting a certain image.”

The ring’s design has a timeless, vintage feel, jewelers tell ELLE, but with some modern touches. They break down its design details and what the sparkler might reveal about Cassie and Nate.

Cassie’s ring is well-proportioned, featuring a round center diamond flanked by two pear side stones.

Multiple jewelers point out how symmetrical Cassie’s ring is. “The proportions feel well-balanced, with the pears tapering the silhouette and drawing the eye inward to the center stone,” Mazuera says.

Eddie Le Vian, CEO and designer of Le Vian, echoes the sentiment, saying the ring has “clean lines, perfect balance—nothing extra, nothing missing. This is understated luxury at its best. The statement comes from the stone, not the noise around it.”

Chemla adds the side stones are “quite subtle,” noting they are “designed to enhance rather than compete.”

“The overall look is timeless and traditional, with just enough added detail to feel soft and romantic,” she says.

The pear-shaped side stones add a modern twist to the ring.

While the ring has very traditional elements, the pear side stones add a “modern twist to her setting,” Annie Chen, Brilliant Earth’s senior vice president of merchandising, says.

Olivia Landau, founder and CEO of The Clear Cut, explains why, saying, “The pear-shaped side stones are a more feminine take on a traditional round brilliant three-stone ring, which would most commonly use tapered baguettes for the side stones.”

The ring sits low on her finger, and its claw prongs have a vintage feel to them.

Lauren Boc, founder and CEO of Hera Fine Jewelry, points out that the prongs of Cassie’s ring have a vintage twist—and that its low setting means it’s easier to wear.

“Low-set rings are great for comfort and durability,” she explains. “I can’t tell for certain, but it looks like it might have double claw prongs on the center stone, which is a vintage design detail I love!” She adds these prongs “provide an elegant, vintage-inspired touch but still look clean and understated.”

Angie Kennedy, vice president of product merchandising at Zales, praises the prong choice too, explaining the setting style “pairs beautifully with a larger center stone and allows it to sit very low, creating a lovely flush profile across the finger.”

Jewelers estimate the center stone is 3 to 7 carats, while the side stones are about half a carat each.

Cassie’s ring isn’t giant, but it isn’t little, either. Boc had the most modest estimate for Cassie’s center stone at 2 to 2.5 carats.

The majority of jewelers went higher, putting the center stone in the 3 to 5 carat range. They include Landau (3.5 to 4 carats), Chen (“at least 3 carats”), Mazuera (3 to 4 carats), and Kennedy (4 to 5 carats).

Le Vian had the highest estimate at 5 to 7 carats.

Mazuera, Chen, Landau, and Kennedy all estimate the side stones to be around half a carat as well. “When creating a three-stone ring, it’s important that the side stones are proportioned in a way that supports the center stone without competing with it,” Mazuera says.

Chemla believes the stones are smaller (0.15 to 0.25 carats each), while Jennifer Meyer, founder of her eponymous jewelry brand, thinks they’re bigger (about a carat each). “She’s basically wearing a small constellation on her finger,” Meyer says.

Logan Hollowell, founder and CEO of Logan Hollowell Jewelry, says the center stone “looks to be around 3.5 to 5 carats, and the side stones are maybe around 0.40 to 0.75 carats each. It is always hard to know exactly from stills, but it definitely has presence.”

The ring’s estimated value is between $80,000 and $200,000 if it has natural diamonds.

It isn’t clear whether Nate chose natural or lab-grown diamonds for Cassie’s ring, which would significantly affect its price. Mazuera offers an estimate if he went natural: “Assuming the stones are natural diamonds of high quality, a ring like this would likely fall in the range of $80,000 to $150,000. The value can shift significantly depending on cut quality, color, and clarity, but the overall look suggests a high-budget piece.”

Landau and Kennedy give similar ranges for a natural diamond ring: $75,000 to $150,000 and $100,000 to $150,000, respectively.

Chen believes it would be valued at $20,000 to $80,000, while Hollowell says it could be $80,000 to $200,000 or more. “Two rings can look very similar in photos and still have very different values, but this one definitely reads as a meaningful, high value piece,” she adds.

Meyer says it would be “around a six-figure price tag, think $100,000 on the low end, potentially more depending on actual size and clarity. A VERY nice car on her finger.”

Boc, meanwhile, estimates the ring would cost $3,800 if it was around 2 to 2.5 carats and made with lab-grown diamonds. “That price assumes our level of craftsmanship and heavy gold weight,” she says.

The setting has some stylish touches that add to the ring’s durability.

Boc was impressed by the ring’s setting: “I’m pleasantly surprised by how well-made this setting looks!” she says. “It has a healthy amount of gold weight and thoughtful details to improve durability, like V prongs on the pointy tips of the pears that will protect them from breakage and lateral movement.”

Mazuera agrees, noting the ring’s durability enhancements give it a vintage look, too: “The setting leans traditional, with details that feel slightly old world,” she says. “The center stone is secured with double claw prongs, while the pear side stones are set with prominent V-shaped prongs, both of which are protective but also stylistically rooted in more classic or vintage-inspired craftsmanship. It has the feeling of something inherited or sourced through a legacy jeweler rather than designed from scratch for a modern bride.”

Its setting design puts the focus on the diamonds rather than the ring’s metal color.

Kennedy notes the ring’s diamond placement is strategic—and adds to the ring’s timeless look. “The setting was extremely intentional, with the diamonds set in a way that downplays the metal color,” she says. “This allows the ring to remain on-trend and timeless regardless of whether yellow or white metals are having a moment.”

Hollowell agrees it puts the spotlight on the diamonds, saying, “I like that the setting feels clean and elevated. It avoids excessive embellishment, allowing the shape and proportion of the stones to speak for themselves.”

Cassie’s traditional ring follows ring trends rather than sets them.

Nate stuck to a tried-and-true look for Cassie’s engagement ring. “The three-stone ring is one of the most enduring engagement ring styles, worn across generations,” Mazuera explains. “In that sense, Cassie is aligning with tradition rather than setting a new direction. There’s a return right now to timeless, archival silhouettes, so it does feel relevant, but it’s not pushing boundaries. It reads more as a continuation of established taste than an expression of individuality.”

Le Vian agrees, noting the symbolism of the choice. Overall, the ring is “a timeless three-stone—past, present, future—but executed in a way that feels powerful, not predictable.”

Meyer believes Cassie’s ring shows exactly why three-stone rings are so coveted right now: “It’s substantial without being gaudy, classic without being boring. Quiet luxury at its finest.”

Boc points out that Cassie’s side stone choice is on trend, too. “Pear side stones are really popular right now, so I’d say Cassie is a trend follower here, not that that’s necessarily a bad thing,” she says, adding that Hera is about to introduce its own version of the three-stone ring on May 1 after getting so many requests for it.

Cassie’s ring also reflects “the growing trend toward bezel settings and lower-profile mountings,” Kennedy says, “as opposed to the more traditional four-prong cathedral style that stands much taller on the finger. The low profile allows the ring to sit close to the hand for a sleek, modern silhouette, while still allowing the center stone to shine.”

Overall, Nate gave his bride a traditional ring that is very of the moment. “There is a real pull right now toward rings that feel classic but still have enough scale and personality to feel special,” Hollowell says. “To me, this feels more like Cassie stepping into a very current bridal fantasy than setting a totally new direction.”

Watch Euphoria season 3 on HBO Max