Experts say that the cluster-style sparkler may not have been historically accurate.
Published on August 14, 2025 11:46AM
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Key Takeaways
- In the season three finale of the The Gilded Age, William proposes to Peggy with a cluster-style engagement ring.
- However, experts say that such a sparkler likely wouldn't have existed during the Victorian era.
- Instead, they note that the piece is more reminiscent of popular styles during the 20th century.
In the season three finale of HBO Max's The Gilded Age, viewers witnessed a reconciliation between two key characters: Peggy, who is played by Denée Benton, and William, who is played by Jordan Donica. After an extended courtship, William is prepared to take the next step in his relationship with Peggy by asking her to marry him. However, their plans are quickly derailed with his mother exposes Peggy's secret past. Despite this, William ultimately decides to proceed with his plans to propose—and he does so at the end-of-season ball in Newport, Rhode Island, presenting his partner with a sparkler featuring a cluster of diamonds.
The only problem? That's not the type of ring that would have been given during the Victorian era, which is when the show is set. According to experts, this ring isn't historically accurate at all.
The show takes place during the 19th century, so it often features a number of trends and styles from the Victorian era. According to Women's Wear Daily, Peggy's cluster-style engagement ring, which includes a pearl center stone and diamonds set in yellow gold was actually more representative of the 20th century. "Natural pearls, yellow gold, and clusters were popular themes during this time, so these themes in the ring match the era," Andria Rogers, a jewelry expert, told WWD. "However, based on the gallery and the less delicate nature of the metalwork, this ring feels a bit more 1940s to me." Victorian pieces typically featured antique diamonds, Rogers added.
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Another expert, Lauren DeYoung, a jeweler, told WWD that the sparkler appeared to resemble a classic cocktail ring from the 1950s, noting that a typical piece during this time would include mine-cut or rose-cut diamonds. According to the outlet, the bauble would like cost $3,000 to $5,000, due to the fact that the center stone was a pearl. "A ring from the 1880s would feature a natural pearl, as it predates the introduction of cultured pearls," DeYoung told the outlet. "While natural pearls are rare, the small size would not hold significant value."
Other aspects of the show did appear to closely follow real-life events during the Victorian era. For example, when Gladys Russell marries the Duke of Buckingham, the nuptials mirrored the 1895 union of Conseulo Vanderbilt and Charles Spencer Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough. Like Consuelo, Gladys was pressured to tie the knot with a royal in order to become a duchess. And in exchange for saying "I do" to the socialite, the Duke of Buckingham received a number of financial assets from Gladys's father, a railroad tycoon. Such was the case for Consuelo's actual arrangement: Her husband was paid $100,000, equivalent to $3.2 million today, and given $2.5 million in railroad stock, equivalent to $81 million today, for marrying the New Yorker.
