Toi et Moi Rings: Two Stones Sit Up to 48% Wider Than One
Napoleon gave one in 1796. Jacqueline Kennedy wore one from 1953. Here is how to choose the pairing, balance the sizes, set the stones and plan the band, with the millimetres that show why two stones read larger than one.
The author is the founder of Draco Diamond, which sells lab grown diamond toi et moi designs. History comes from Rapaport, Bonhams and GIA; widths are Draco's arithmetic from its diamond size chart. Sources are cited below. Read October 18, 2026.
A toi et moi sets two stones side by side, and the idea is 230 years old
A toi et moi holds two stones side by side on one band. The name is French for "you and me": two stones, two people, one ring.
The best known early example is Napoleon's. In 1796 he gave Josephine a yellow gold ring set with a pear shaped sapphire and a pear shaped diamond.1
That ring sold at the Osenat auction house in Fontainebleau on March 24, 2013, for US$949,000. The hammer fell at more than fifty times the estimate.2
The style peaked again in the Edwardian and Belle Epoque years. GIA documents a Moscow ring from the 1880s set with two old European cut diamonds of about 1.10 and 0.90 carats.35
Jacqueline Kennedy's engagement ring of 1953, by Van Cleef and Arpels, paired a 2.88 carat emerald cut diamond with a 2.84 carat emerald.4
Today it is a mainstream engagement choice, offered by most fine jewellers. The idea has not changed: one stone for each person, chosen to match or to contrast.
Which two shapes pair best in a toi et moi?
There is no single right pairing. The two stones can match or contrast in shape, size or colour, and the choice changes how the ring reads from across a room.
GIA's settings guide says exactly that: the two stones may match or contrast in shape, size or colour, and are often set with prongs or bezels.6
| Pairing | Known for | Across the finger |
|---|---|---|
| Pear and oval | The pairing jewellers design most | 11.3 mm |
| Pear and marquise | Two pointed shapes, often leaning | Varies with the angle |
| Pear and pear | Napoleon's 1796 ring, sapphire and diamond | 11.2 mm |
| Round and emerald | Close to the Kennedy pairing of 1953 | 11.5 mm |
| Pear and round | Contrast of a point and a circle | 12.1 mm |
Jewellers report one pairing above the rest. Alana Ellis of Alana Maria Jewellery says she most often designs pear and oval, or marquise and pear, with one stone leaning toward the other.11
A matched pair reads calm and symmetrical. A contrasting pair, such as a pear beside a round, reads more personal. Coloured pairs go further: the Mouawad ring Bonhams sold in 2024 set a blue radiant beside a pink one.7
Pointed shapes need care. A pear or marquise tip should point away from the other stone or along the finger, so the two outlines do not crowd each other.
Two stones look larger than one stone of the same weight
Two stones spread their weight across the finger. A pair of 1 carat stones sits about 37 to 48 percent wider than a single 2 carat round, depending on the shapes.
Two stones spread wider than one
Width across the finger in millimetres: four 2 carat toi et moi pairings against a 2 carat round solitaire. Stones side by side, metal not counted.
Sources: stone dimensions from Draco's diamond size chart, carat to millimetres by shape. Arithmetic: Draco Diamond. Bypass rings stagger the stones, so treat these as upper bounds.
The arithmetic is simple. A 1 carat pear is about 5.6 mm wide and a 1 carat oval about 5.7 mm. Side by side they span 11.3 mm. A 2 carat round is 8.2 mm across.12
Famous pairs are nearly equal. Kennedy's two stones differed by 1 percent. The Cartier pair Bonhams sold in 2019 weighed 4.35 and 4.47 carats, about 3 percent apart.48
Unequal pairs work too. The 1880s Moscow ring paired 1.10 and 0.90 carats, a ratio of about 1.2 to 1. Past that, the smaller stone starts to look like an accent.5
"A 1 carat pear and a 1 carat oval spread 11.3 millimetres across the finger. A 2 carat round covers 8.2. Two stones read larger than one."
Garrett McMartin, Founder, Draco Diamond
Bypass, open or side by side: how the stones sit
The setting decides how the two stones meet. They can sit side by side, lean together, or float apart on the open ends of a bypass band that wraps the finger.
The modern revival owes a lot to the open ring. Jemma Wynne's toi et moi was originally made with an open design, with each stone at the end of the band.1
Some makers keep the stones apart on purpose. Chaumet sets its two stones side by side but not touching, a small gap that lets light into both.3
Prongs and bezels each have a trade. Raised prong edges can catch on fabric, while bezels are less likely to catch on clothing or gloves.6
Height matters for daily wear. Two stones on raised heads sit taller than a solitaire, so check the profile from the side before you order.
Decide whether the two stones match or contrast. Pear and oval is the pairing jewellers design most; pear and pear echoes Napoleon's ring.
Start near one to one. The best known toi et moi pairs sit within about 3 percent of each other's weight.
Side by side, leaning together or offset on a bypass band. Each changes the spread across the finger and the height.
A straight band rarely sits flush against a low set toi et moi. Choose a curved or contour band at the same time.
Open and bypass shanks are harder to resize than a closed band. Measure the finger first and ask about resizing limits.
Which wedding band goes with a toi et moi?
Usually a curved one. Two stones set low and wide leave little room for a straight band, so most toi et moi designs need a band shaped to follow them.
Alana Ellis puts it plainly: if the engagement ring is set low, a straight band will not sit flush. She suggests a curved band or a cigar band.11
A bypass ring complicates the choice. Its open ends sit at an angle, so a contour band that follows the line usually looks more deliberate than a straight one.
Draco's marquise bypass bridal set solves this with a chevron band that nests flush under the stone. The same principle applies to a toi et moi.
Order the band with the ring if you can. A band made for the ring matches the metal, the width and the curve, and the pair is sized together.
The toi et moi has peaked before, and it keeps coming back
The toi et moi is not new and not fading. It has had at least three peaks: the Belle Epoque, the 1950s and the run of celebrity rings that began in 2018.
The recent wave is well documented. Emily Ratajkowski designed a two diamond toi et moi in 2018, and Megan Fox's 2022 ring paired a pear diamond with a pear emerald.109
Trade press dates the surge to 2020 through 2022. Rapaport dates the ignition of the trend to exactly those years.1
For a buyer, that history is good news. A style that has returned for two centuries is a safer choice than one that appeared last season.
Four Draco toi et moi designs, all led by a pear
Draco makes four toi et moi designs, and every one leads with a pear. They range from a 1 carat two stone pear to a 2.25 carat pear and heart on pave.
| Ring | The pairing | From |
|---|---|---|
| 1ct pear and pear bypass | Two pears, pointing opposite ways | CAD 1,501 |
| 2ct pear and round bypass | A pear and a round that never touch | CAD 1,899 |
| 2.25ct pear and heart pave | A pear and a heart on a pave band | CAD 1,999 |
| 1ct two stone pear | Two pears curving into each other | CAD 1,081 |
Two of the four pair a pear with a pear, the Napoleon pairing. The other two contrast a pear with a round or a heart. Each is offered in sterling silver, 10K to 18K gold and platinum.
Open and bypass designs are harder to resize than a closed band. Every Draco ring includes one complimentary resize within 60 days of delivery, up to two sizes up or down, and some designs cannot be resized; Draco discloses this before purchase.13
Every Draco piece carries 30 day returns, the Lifetime Authenticity Guarantee, free resizing, and free insured worldwide shipping to 25 markets, delivered duty paid with nothing collected at the door, and signature on delivery. Each piece is IGI certified, E to F colour and VS2 or better, with a report you can verify free at IGI.org.
Browse lab grown diamond engagement rings and bridal sets, or design a pairing of your own in the ring builder.
Two stones, answered
What does toi et moi mean?
It is French for "you and me". A toi et moi sets two stones side by side on one band, one for each person.
What is the best shape combination for a toi et moi?
There is no single best pairing. Pear and oval is the combination jewellers design most often, and marquise and pear is close behind. Matching shapes read calm; contrasting shapes read more personal.
Should the two stones be the same size?
Usually close. The best known toi et moi pairs sit within about 3 percent of each other's weight. Ratios up to about 1.2 to 1 still read as a pair; beyond that, the smaller stone looks like an accent.
Does a toi et moi look bigger than a solitaire?
Yes, across the finger. A 1 carat pear and a 1 carat oval span about 11.3 mm side by side, while a 2 carat round is about 8.2 mm across.
What wedding band goes with a toi et moi?
Usually a curved or contour band. A straight band rarely sits flush beside a low set toi et moi, especially on a bypass design.
Is the toi et moi going out of style?
The style has returned repeatedly since 1796, with peaks in the Belle Epoque, the 1950s and the celebrity rings of 2018 to 2022.
References
- Rapaport, The Romantic Trend of Contemporary Toi Et Moi Rings, August 6, 2023.
- The Jewellery Editor, Napoleon and Josephine's engagement ring sells for almost US$1 million, March 24, 2013.
- The Jewellery Editor, True romance: toi et moi rings, February 14, 2017.
- People, via AOL, See Jackie Kennedy's toi et moi engagement ring, September 13, 2025.
- GIA 4Cs, Antique Engagement Ring Styles, June 6, 2016.
- GIA 4Cs, Guide to Ring Settings, August 14, 2026.
- Bonhams, Mouawad diamond and coloured diamond toi et moi ring, London Jewels, lot 119, June 13, 2024.
- Bonhams, A fancy coloured diamond and diamond toi et moi ring, by Cartier, lot 189, April 30, 2019.
- National Jeweler, All About Megan Fox's Engagement Ring From Machine Gun Kelly, January 14, 2022.
- W Magazine, Two stone engagement rings are trending, January 19, 2022.
- Pedestrian.tv, Engagement ring trends 2025, March 6, 2025.
- Draco Diamond, Diamond Size Chart: Carat to Millimetres for Every Shape, accessed October 18, 2026.
- Draco Diamond, Refunds, Integrity and Ethical Standards, accessed October 18, 2026.
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