Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were one of the most important couples in pop culture history, in gossip history. Chronologically, they came before Brangelina and for my money, Bennifer was the “more glamorous” couple, mostly because of Jennifer Lopez’s fashion, jewelry and general star power. Bennifer 1.0 will always be remembered for burning so brightly and then crashing down to earth in a spectacular way. Before they crashed and burned, Ben gave J.Lo an epic 6.1 carat pink diamond engagement ring from Harry Winston. That ring was talked about in a huge way, like J.Lo was the second coming of Elizabeth Taylor. Sidenote: both of Jennifer’s fiances post-Affleck, Marc Anthony and Alex Rodiguez, made a conscious decision to give Jennifer a “bigger” engagement ring than Ben’s pink diamond, and I think they both did that on purpose. Even though that pink diamond was close to flawless and VERY expensive.
Anyway, the pink diamond ring. It was a huge deal at the time. Even other celebrities were interested in seeing it when they ran into J.Lo. Which is what happened when Jennifer happened to meet Barbra Streisand during that time. Jennifer reminisced about that and The Ring in an interview this week:
Jennifer Lopez may be rocking a 16-carat, $1.8 million engagement ring from fiancé Alex Rodriguez these days, but she’s got only fond memories of the famous pink diamond she accepted from ex Ben Affleck back in 2002. The six-carat rock came up during a chat between the 50-year-old “Hustlers” star and Apple Music host Zane Lowe on Monday, after Lopez mentioned she’s been watching musicals like “Funny Girl” with her children during quarantine — whose star, Barbra Streisand, has a thing for bling.
“I met [Streisand] at an Oscar party, years ago, and I was at the time engaged to Ben Affleck, and — she’s really into diamonds, which I didn’t know,” the “Let’s Get Loud” singer recalled. “He had given me a pink diamond, which got a lot of press and was … whatever. I loved getting it, don’t get me wrong.”
Continued Lopez, “So, she came up to me, and like, she’s heard of it. And she’s like, ‘Can I see your ring?’ And she asked me about the ring, but then she asked me — and I thought it was so strange — about being famous, and how I handle it.”
It’s no wonder Streisand, 77, was eager to get a glimpse of the ring; the rosy, radiant-cut Harry Winston sparkler was worth an estimated $2.5 million and single-handedly started a colored diamond craze. No word on what Lopez’s EGOT-winning idol thinks of her even larger ring from Rodriguez.
“He had given me a pink diamond, which got a lot of press and was … whatever. I loved getting it, don’t get me wrong.” DEAD. “Whatever”? OMG. For years, it was mostly Ben throwing some shade here and there at his engagement to Jennifer while she barely ever dissed him. But now I wonder if she’s like “sure, I can be petty for a second.” The thing is, the ring still looms large! Ben Affleck truly gave her a beautiful pink diamond and we will always remember that, even though it was 18 years ago and everybody has moved on. Shady and messy! But I love it.
Photos courtesy of Getty, Avalon Red and WENN.
I think it’s more a “whatever” to the press than Ben or the ring. She’s seems to be shading them for making such a fuss. That’s on brand for her and him, as they’ve both said the press spotlight on them was ridiculous.
Agree, I don’t think it was about the ring either. Just went back and looked at the ring…It was exquisite. Looked beautiful with her skin and the size was perfect for her hand.
Me too. This is how I am reading it. Whatever references to the drama and all the hype around their relationship which she started to get into but decided to stop. It doesn’t read like a reference to the ring
It’s really clear from the video that she was talking about the press attention. She then jumped in really enthusiastically to say she loved getting it.
They were all about that press attention for a while though. And he’s doing it again with Ana.
So, this is just a feeling I have from reading interviews with her…Ana can bring that drama! Ole Ben better get ready to outdo this famous pink ring if he has ideas about marrying her.
Totally get the same intense vibe from Ben and Ana. But Bennifer were one of the all-time Hollywood couples, just so extra and gossipy and glamorous.
How is bennifer more glamorous than brangelina?
Yeah, no way. And Brangelina just sizzled.
JLO is more glamourous with clothes jewelry etc. I can’t even think if Angie’s ring can u?
Brad and Angelina at the beginning of their relationship had an innate hotness that transcended any need for clothes and jewelry. They also looked like they couldn’t wait to get their hands on each other. Look at the pics above, Affleck is never even looking at her. Yes, he would turn it on when cameras were around…,sometimes.
Crashed & burned, with a hijacked fuel truck. That degree of sizzling hotness can not sustain itself over time.
They’re both glamorous, but in different ways. Brange had the kids right away, her stomach was out to here within what, a year? Whereas these two were constantly photographed all dolled up, or half naked, one memorable time, Ben literally kissing her ass on a yacht, so…I mean which is more fun? I always loved Bennifer they cracked me up. I still love Jlo. She can bring it.
The diamond companies must laugh at these stories. Stupid people spending thousands of dollars for a stupid stone.
Imagine walking around with millions of dollars on your hand. Unthinkable.
I thought the value of “real” jewelry stays? That you can just sell it and get more or less what you paid, back?
I’d feel too worried to wear something obnoxiously expensive. And I’d just think everything more meaningful I could have funded with the same dollar amount.
I just find in the last few months she seems like she’s starting to get as ridiculous as Mariah Carey. Not THAT bad, but she seems to be just saying and doing a lot of dumb things that really make it seem like she’s removed from the real world a bit.
I don’t know. She doesn’t HAVE to like the ring, or anything. I hope she meant the buzz about it was whatever because scoffing at a near flawless huge diamond makes her seem…quite a bit extra lol.
Why is she talking about Ben all of sudden…is it because of Ana? I think Jen loved that time in her life, until Ben cheated on her.
Kinda sad, but that is Ben’s pattern-his expressions in those pics are hilarious. Looks bored AF. They were a beautiful couple, but as usual, Ben felt suffocated & fled.
I wonder why, too. Maybe because of the Ana stuff, but it seems so random. They WERE a really good looking couple, though.
She was talking about Barbra Streisand and how they first met. She has to mention Ben in order to give context to that story.
Yeah she was talking about the hype being “whatever”. Even in that statement she acknowledged appreciation for the ring itself.
I wonder what she did with it. And what kind of ring did he give Jennifer Garner?
I can’t imagine wearing a gem that huge. My own diamond was a quarter carat and gets in my way. I don’t wear my rings anymore. I gained weight with my pregnancy and never bothered to get my jewelry resized. I am left handed and wearing large rings on the left hand has always been uncomfortable for me.
I find the idea of wearing any jewelry over $1000 absolutely alarming. Lol, I don’t have bodyguards.
When Meghan Markle started wearing those dainty gold rings I was inspired to wear rings again and that’s now the kind I wear. When you take it down to that level of dainty, even 18kt gold rings are affordable.
I’ve caught my rings on so much stuff – it’s insane. My engagement ring was under a half carat, and because it’s so high set it’s just so easy to snag and I’m not even left handed. I had had a Montana sapphire ring made last year that I wear on my right hand. It’s a lot lower of a setting and I STILL manage to snag it a bit.
I do love dainty jewelry though – I’ve actually also been looking into some gold bands recently haha. I just like the clean minimalist look of them, and I appreciate how low profile something like that is.
Erinn, agreed. And I think it was shade at the ring and Ben. No way you get that kind of ring and say anything close to that about anything in relation to it. She is showing how spoiled and not “Jenny from the block” she really is.
I bet Harry Winston hates his name sounding like…….
I read his name just like you know “WHO”,I’m so sorry to him for doing that
Sorry I don’t get it, who are you guys talking about?
Harvey Weinstein.
I got the sense she was talking more about the drama made over it, but to be fair, I’d call being engaged to Ben Affleck a “whatever” event in my life, too.
If she was being shady, I’m fine with that. Comments about their relationship made by Ben and some of his friends, specifically Matt Damon, have been gross.
It was a beautiful ring and very on brand for them at the time.
Ahh, Bennifer….such simpler times. That mint green one shoulder dress is still my top red carpet favorite of all time. She looked so amazing that night–the dress, the pulled back hair, the glowy makeup, and those earrings. Still love it!
What’s amazing to me to is that she pretty much looks exactly the same as she did back then. Him, not so much.
All I can see is how different her nose was back then!
Are we not going to talk about how Jennifer and a-rod has an actual legit birthday PARTY a few days ago for one of their kids complete with a DJ? What’s wrong with them?????
Same thing that made them do a pap stroll to a gym they had specifically opened during this shelter at home time: money, and more ego than brains…for both of them!
whaaaattt? that is abominable.
What happened to the ring?
She said she gave it back to Ben and it was probably resold
It has gone into hiding.
The biggest thing I took from this was it was EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO
WHATTTTTT?????
Sobering.
Lord yes! I paused and cried a tear into my coffee.
And amazingly she looks like only 5 years have passed, if that. I am just a little bit older than she is and can not say the same. She’s got that big butt but it’s a toned big butt. Mine is just a a big butt. I’m as ethnic as she is and like her I don’t have wrinkles. But I’ve got some sag on the jawline and she is just so damned toned. If she’s had work it’s damned fine work because she doesn’t look worked on. I think she just keeps herself in great shape and has good genetics. I have seen her without makeup and she does look very bland without her cosmetics. But she still looks very young and in good shape. There’s a limit to what makeup can do.
Right? It feels more like eight. Ugh!
I hate when that happens it is so upsetting
I know, how can that be?
I miss Bennifer
They really were perfect for each other, their egos matched up.
But now I wonder if she’s like “sure, I can be petty for a second.”
LOL
Dudes got a type IJS. He likes petite brown haired girls. It does not surprise me that Lindsay Shookus fizzled out.
I honestly don’t think he has a type. He was also with Gwyneth who is tall and blonde.
Jennifer garner is like 5’9 and Gwyneth is tall too.
Goop has never been frumpy. Jen Garner got preggo, locked Ben down, and jumped on the frumpy train. I like Jen, but sometimes she looked hideous. She has nannies and other hired help to provide plenty of free time to get dressed and make an effort. In hindsight, maybe she was depressed.
Ben must d*ckmatize women. They all worship him in the beginning, gaze at him like a God, then he messes up to get rid of them. Ben has too many options to ever stay faithful.
All his long-term partners (Gwyneth, Lopez, Garner, Lindsay) have a sense of hustle and ambition. But beyond that, his physical type is all over the place
I honestly can’t tell if she is shading Ben and the ring or just didn’t understand the attention. Either way the vagueness of her statement was funny.
I also hated that ring – who wants a pink diamond no thank you
That really was a gorgeous ring. Really nice color and the proportions are good for a large carat stone. What ring did he give his ex-wife Garner? The one from Alex Rodriguez looks like a ring pop. I think Ben started pursuing JLo when she was still married to someone else. Can’t believe it was almost 20 years ago. Ben certainly has a way of getting attention with his glamorous girlfriends.
L4FRIMAIRE, to be fair, in those days, it would have been pretty hard to catch JLO when she *wasn’t* married to someone else.
She really needs to get her GED…speaking she cannot do!
If I read one more LIKE in her quotes I was going to have to take a migraine pill. Instead of investing in trying to look young, I agree that investing in proper English Lessons would help her. Beauty fades, dumb is forever.
Man, I would hate that ring. Soo huge, and a pink diamond? No thank you
So… what happened to the ring? Did she return it?