George Russell and Carmen Montero Mundt kept their engagement announcement remarkably simple, but the yellow diamond on her left hand is now drawing seven-figure estimates from jewelry experts.
The Mercedes Formula One driver and his longtime partner announced their engagement on August 9 with four photographs and a caption consisting only of a ring and white heart emoji. The images showed Russell proposing during an intimate candlelit dinner overlooking the water.
Montero Mundt prominently displayed an oval yellow center stone in the photographs. Jewelry expert Nilesh Rakholia has since estimated that the diamond could be between eight and 10 carats and said the ring may be worth as much as $1.35 million.
Russell and Montero Mundt have not disclosed the ring’s jeweler, carat weight, grading report or whether its center stone is natural or lab-grown, all details that could dramatically affect its value.
An Expert Says the Ring Could Be Worth as Much as $1.35 Million
According to People, Rakholia, founder of jewelry company Abelini, examined photographs of the ring and estimated its center stone at approximately eight to 10 carats. He cautioned that perspective in photographs makes an exact measurement impossible but described the yellow diamond as exceptionally substantial.
Rakholia estimated that the ring could be worth as much as $1.35 million, depending on factors including the stone’s origin and the intensity of its color. He also stressed that the estimate would change significantly if the stone were lab-grown rather than natural. A lab-grown yellow diamond can produce a similar appearance at a fraction of the price.
Another jewelry expert reached a similar estimate for its apparent size. Arissa Michos, marketing and brand director at Class A Jewellers, told Marie Claire Australia that the center stone appeared to be between eight and 10 carats and could potentially be valued upward of $1 million. Michos said its rich color resembled a Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond.
The Ring Features a Striking Three-Stone Design
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Marie Claire described it as a trilogy design centered on the large oval yellow stone and flanked by two white side diamonds. The unusually saturated yellow center immediately stands out against the lighter stones surrounding it.
Both experts who examined photographs emphasized that color can have a major effect on the value of a yellow diamond. Russell and Montero Mundt have not identified the jeweler responsible for the ring or publicly discussed how Russell selected it.
Motorsport.com described the proposal as an intimate beachside dinner. Montero Mundt wore a white backless Cult Gaia dress for the occasion, while Russell also dressed in white.
One photograph captured Russell kissing his new fiancée as she raised her left hand, while another focused more closely on the yellow diamond.
Their First Meeting Had Nothing to Do With Formula One
Russell and Montero Mundt met in London in 2020 through a mutual friend. Montero Mundt later told Tatler that a Spanish friend invited her to drinks at Soho House in White City because the man her friend was seeing planned to bring his housemate along. That housemate was Russell.
At the time, Russell was entering his second Formula One season with Williams, but Montero Mundt said she was not interested in the sport and did not know much about his career.
Russell later asked her friend for her number and invited Montero Mundt to his home, where he cooked sea bass and roasted vegetables for her. She has since described the timing of their relationship as fortunate because they were able to grow together while Russell’s Formula One career developed.
Russell Had Already Said Carmen Was ‘My Future’
The proposal arrived shortly after Russell publicly discussed his long-term future with Montero Mundt. “Carmen brings me stability when it comes to racing and also a way to disconnect,” he told The Times in June, according to Motorsport.com.
He was even more direct when asked about marriage. “Without doubt she’s my future,” Russell said. “It won’t be next week, but it won’t be longer than five years. So somewhere in that timeframe.” His proposal came roughly two months after making that prediction.