David Douglas Diamonds & Jewelry
November 6th, 2013
After keeping her marriage under wraps since June, Avatar actress Zoe Saldana surprised the paparazzi and her fans this past weekend when she finally revealed her stunning pear-shape emerald-and-diamond engagement ring during the LACMA Art + Film Gala in Los Angeles.

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The 35-year-old actress, who earned critical acclaim for her “virtual” performance as Neytiri in James Cameron's 2009 blockbuster, Avatar, tied the knot with 34-year-old Italian artist Marco Perego during an intimate — and secret — ceremony in front of close friends and family.

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The emerald in Saldana’s ring weighs approximately 6 to 8 carats and is valued between $18,000 and $32,000, depending on the clarity and origin of the stone, according to Zaven Ghanimian, marketing director for Simon G. Jewelry. He told E! News that trillion diamonds about .75 carats to 1 carat in size flank the center stone in a custom ring that features a popular halo setting and micro-pavé diamonds along the band.

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Fans of Avatar will remember that Saldana’s memorable character was completely computer generated. The actress’ movements, including facial expressions, were animated using a technique called “performance capture.”

Saldana joins actress Halle Berry and former First Lady Jackie Kennedy on the short list of luminaries who have worn emerald engagement rings.

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Berry’s four-carat emerald, which is said to be of “perfect” color, was sourced from the now-closed-down mines of Muzo, Colombia. Berry’s emerald is set in a hand-forged 18-karat yellow gold band.

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Kennedy’s famous engagement ring featured a 2.88-carat diamond mounted alongside a 2.84-carat emerald. During John F. Kennedy’s presidency, the ring was redesigned with more than 2 carats of round and marquise accent diamonds.

Although Saldana and Perego have been linked publicly since mid-May, a source for Us Weekly revealed they’ve “known each other for a long time.”

Previously, Saldana had dated the CEO of My Fashion Database Keith Britton for 11 years before breaking up in 2011. She was also in an “on again, off again” relationship with actor Bradley Cooper from 2011 until January of this year.