Quick Look
- The toi et moi ring, named for the French phrase “you and me,” brings two gemstones together to symbolize two lives, loves or souls joined in one story.
- Its most famous origin story begins with Napoléon and Joséphine, whose 1796 engagement ring paired a diamond and sapphire.
- The style adapts beautifully to different eras, from Victorian sentimentality to Art Nouveau naturalism and Art Deco geometry.
- Today, the toi et moi ring continues to draw attention, offering endless possibilities in shape, color and meaning.
For all our legends, myths and tragedies, we keep returning to the same irresistible premise: you and me.
Fancy Vivid Yellow and White Heart Shape Diamond Ring. Set in platinum and 18K yellow gold. M.S. Rau.
Great loves drive classical epics like The Odyssey, shape ancient creation stories and account for a very decent portion of Disney’s catalog. From Antony and Cleopatra to Romeo and Juliet, from bedtime stories to on-screen rom-coms, the idea of two becoming one is hardwired into the human brain. We love a story where two separate lives become impossible to understand apart.
And one particularly beautiful continuation of this theme can be found in a ring.
Named for the French phrase meaning “you and me,” toi et moi rings feature two principal gemstones in a single composition. Traditionally, the stones represent two people, two lives or two souls joined in one shared story. For couples drawn to this symbolism, a toi et moi engagement ring offers a personal alternative to the classic solitaire.
Bulgari Burma Ruby and Diamond Bypass Ring. Set in platinum with yellow gold accents. M.S. Rau.
Unlike the classic solitaire, the toi et moi design is built around a relationship between two gems. Each has its own character, yet the beauty of this two-stone ring comes from how they meet, side by side.
Napoleon Bonaparte and Joséphine’s Toi et Moi Engagement Ring
One of the most famous early examples of the toi et moi engagement ring belonged to Joséphine de Beauharnais.
The Coronation of Napoleon by Jacques-Louis David. 1807. Louvre, Paris. Source.
In 1796, Napoléon Bonaparte proposed to Joséphine with a gold ring set with two pear shaped gemstones: a diamond and a sapphire nestled together. Modest by imperial standards, especially considering the tiaras and parures that would later define Joséphine’s jewelry collection, the ring has become one of the most romantic jewels in history
The ring of Empress Joséphine.
Napoléon and Joséphine would go on to share one of the world’s most famous romances, immortalized in part by Napoléon’s notoriously impassioned letters. After all, “My happiness is to be near you” says in words what a toi et moi ring says in gemstones.
Joséphine’s iconic engagement ring now resides in a private collection, having sold for nearly $1 million at a French auction in 2013.
A Design That Moves Through History
Part of the toi et moi ring’s appeal is its adaptability. The idea is beautifully consistent: two stones brought together in one jewel. But each era has interpreted that idea through its own aesthetic language.
In the 19th century, toi et moi rings could be used to reflect the sentimentality of Victorian jewelry. Jewels of the era often carried intimate meaning, whether romantic, commemorative or mournful, through symbolic stones and elaborate settings.
Pearls, old cut diamonds and onyx could suggest purity, devotion, remembrance or loss.
With two stones offering twice the opportunity for symbolism, the toi et moi ring became a natural expression of this visual language.
Victorian Pink Sapphire and Diamond Double Heart Ring. Source.
By the turn of the 20th century, the decorative arts began moving away from the heavier historicism of the Victorian era toward something more fluid, rooted in nature. Art Nouveau, which flourished across Europe and America from the 1890s into the early 1900s, brought an organic, sculptural sensibility to jewelry design.
Its whiplash curves, floral forms, female figures and asymmetrical compositions worked well with the toi et moi structure, allowing the two stones to bloom from a stem-like setting, frame the details of a sensual portrait or tuck within sinuous, vine-like lines.
Jewelry studies by Pierre-Georges Deraisme. Circa 1905. Petit Palais, musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris. Source.
Art Deco moved in a different direction entirely. With its cleaner lines and bold geometry, the period gave the toi et moi ring an architectural presence. Art Deco designs often emphasized symmetry, pairing gemstones with matching shapes and sizes for a cleaner, more balanced effect, whether in closely related colors or striking contrast.
Art Deco-Style Sapphire and Diamond Ring. Sold at M.S. Rau.
Across changing jewelry styles, the two-stone format proved remarkably adaptable, shifting from Victorian sentiment to Art Nouveau naturalism to Art Deco geometry while keeping its central meaning intact.
Jackie Kennedy and the Presidential Toi et Moi
The toi et moi form found one of its most iconic 20th-century expressions in Jacqueline Kennedy’s engagement ring.
John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy photographed by Toni Frissell on their wedding day, 1953. Source.
Presented to the future First Lady by John F. Kennedy in 1953, the Van Cleef & Arpels ring paired a 2.88-carat diamond with a 2.84-carat emerald. Both stones were emerald cut, creating a practically presidential sense of balance, while diamond and emerald accents added a mid-century glamour.
The ring is often said to have been chosen by Joseph P. Kennedy, JFK’s father and a former U.S. ambassador, who selected it from Van Cleef & Arpels’ Fifth Avenue store in New York.
Elegant, distinctive and sophisticated, the ring reflected the polished sensibility that would make Jackie one of the 20th century’s defining style icons. She later reimagined the design with Van Cleef & Arpels, replacing the original baguettes with 12 marquise and round diamonds arranged in a laurel-wreath motif beneath the larger stones.
Jackie Kennedy’s Van Cleef & Arpels Engagement Ring.
Today, the ring is held by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.
Why Choose a Toi et Moi Engagement Ring?
The toi et moi ring appeals to collectors and couples who want a jewel with individual meaning. Its two principal stones can represent a partnership, commemorate family members, or simply bring together a favorite combination of gems.
Emerald and Yellow Diamond Toi et Moi Ring. Set in 18K white and yellow gold. M.S. Rau.
The ring design allows for considerable variation. Two diamonds can create contrast through shape, scale or orientation, while a diamond paired with a colored gemstone introduces another dimension. A pear shaped diamond beside an emerald cut diamond produces a different composition from an oval beside a cushion cut.
Matching shapes create symmetry, while mismatched cuts introduce personality. The stones do not need identical carat weights to feel balanced. Face-up size, proportion, color, angle and setting all contribute to the final composition.
Rebecca Rau Sapphire and Garnet Toi et Moi Ring. Set in 18K yellow gold. M.S. Rau.
Color opens up even more possibilities. A diamond can be paired with a ruby, emerald, sapphire or almost any gemstone imaginable. Birthstones can represent two partners, children or family members, while a favorite color can become part of the love story.
Paraiba Tourmaline and Diamond Bypass Ring. Set in platinum. M.S. Rau.
There are also endless ways to arrange the stones. Some designs place the gems side by side across the finger. Others angle them toward one another. Some run north to south, creating length along the hand. Some are sculptural and dramatic. Some are delicate and sentimental. Anything is possible, really, which is the excitement of custom jewelry.
The Celebrity Revival
It would be impossible to discuss the contemporary toi et moi revival without mentioning celebrity jewelry. Famous rings have always shaped public taste, from Joséphine’s legendary two-stone ring to the headline-making jewels of today.
Emily Ratajkowski’s engagement ring became one of the most recognizable modern examples of the toi et moi style, helping fuel its recent viral buzz. The ring paired a princess cut diamond with a pear shaped diamond in an asymmetrical composition. She later separated the stones into what she called her “divorce rings.”
Emily Ratajkowski sporting her diamond ring.
Solange Knowles wore a striking toi et moi engagement ring, an Art Deco-inspired design with two white diamonds in different shapes set on a yellow gold band. She later lost the ring during a New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration while riding with the Krewe of Muses. Writing from our New Orleans gallery, we do feel obligated to say: Muses is just like that.
Solange Knowles and Alan Ferguson’s New Orleans wedding.
Megan Fox’s engagement ring took the romantic symbolism of toi et moi into darker territory. Designed with Machine Gun Kelly and Stephen Webster, it paired a pear shaped emerald and diamond as the couple’s birthstones, set on magnetic bands. The jewel referenced the pair as “twin flames,” though its most famous detail was the thorned band, which Machine Gun Kelly said was meant to hurt when removed. “Love is pain,” he stated. The couple has since parted ways, but the ring remains one of the most talked-about in recent memory.
Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly announce their engagement.
Travis Scott famously gifted Kylie Jenner and their daughter Stormi matching two-stone diamond rings in 2021. The gesture symbolizes partnership, motherhood, family and the very glamorous reality of having a toddler with a double diamond ring.
Kylie Jenner and Stormi via social media.
Two Stones, One Story
No matter the next trend or celebrity announcement, the toi et moi ring will continue to evolve. The centuries-old design can belong to an empress, a First Lady, a pop star or someone creating a ring for a love story known only to two people.
Bulgari Unheated Burma Ruby and Sapphire Ring. Set in platinum. M.S. Rau.
The toi et moi ring gives partnership a tangible form: two distinct gemstones brought together in one jewel. For those who value both individuality and connection, it can be the perfect symbol of a shared life.
To find the perfect jewel for your collection, explore M.S. Rau in New Orleans, Aspen or online. Your toi et moi ring may already be waiting for its perfect pair.
Emerald Bypass Ring, 5.16 Carats. Set in platinum and yellow gold. M.S. Rau.
Works Cited
ABC News. “Napoleon and Josephine’s Engagement Ring Sells for $949,000.” March 24, 2013. Accessed September 30, 2026.
Sotheby’s. “Two Stones Symbolizing Love Since 1796, The Toi et Moi Ring.” Sotheby’s. Accessed September 30, 2026.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. “Art Nouveau.” Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Accessed September 30, 2026.
UPI. “Solange Knowles Loses Wedding Ring, Offers Reward.” February 5, 2016. Accessed September 30, 2026.
Vogue. “The Story Behind Jackie Kennedy’s Engagement Ring.” Vogue. Accessed September 30, 2026.
