The Jessica Simpson wedding may not be happening anytime soon, but the singer's 4-carat ruby engagement ring is certainly earning enough attention that the public doesn't seem to mind.  It has completely overshadowed first husband Nick Lachey's engagement ring and marriage proposal to longtime girlfriend former TRL correspondent Vanessa Minnillo and has made jaws drop across the world.

The fact that Simpson's engagement announcement was made just  ten days after Lachey's engagement announcement is supposedly just a coincidence, says Simpson, and a source tells  People.com that Johnson "has been planning the engagement for a while and the date of the engagement was a special date for them."

But the people don't believe it and in the same article, when a poll asked if love works in mysterious ways or there's a race to the altar, 66% of readers have already decided that the engagement story was conjured to take attention away from the former 98 Degrees frontman.  Many are skeptical about Johnson's intentions because he was never famous as a tight end for the San Francisco 49ers.  And the two have only been dating for five months. Is this a Britney Spears wedding horror in the making?

But let's talk about the celebrity engagement rings for a second.  Both are stunning, expensive, and flanked by diamonds. But which one takes the cake?

The Dukes of Hazzard star is showing off a 4-carat, three-stone ruby engagement ring with a big oval-shaped ruby in the center and diamonds flanking it on the side.  Jewelry expert Gus Davis from New York's Camilla Dietz Bergeron told Stylelist that the ring is probably a rare vintage item, circa 1900, and probably costs at least $100,000.  The ruby is flanked by old European cut diamonds at about 2 carats each.  Davis also assumes the ring is from the Myanmar [Burma] region mounted in yellow gold.

Former NFL player Eric Johnson only recently separated from his wife Keri Johnson after five years of marriage.  The divorce was only finalized in September 2010.  Rumors says that he has always wanted a celebrity lifestyle. 

Will Nick Lachey's love for longtime girlfriend Vanessa Minnillo last? It certainly looks that way, as the duo have been together since 2006 when Minnillo starred in his music video for "What's Left of Me", ironically a song about how he felt after what happened with him and Simpson.  But even after more than 2 years of dating, the duo broke up in summer 2009. Was it because Minnillo wanted to get married? That's what the rumors say, but of course no one knows for sure.  She certainly has been vocal about wanting to get married.  The couple got back together soon after in fall 2010 and now they are getting married!

Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo announced their engagement a mere 10 days before Simpson announced hers.  Lachey popped the question with a platinum 4-carat Asscher cut diamond engagement ring with trapezoids on the side from Bader and Garrin.  It's worth an estimated $200,000 to $225,000.

Lachey and Simpson also dated for a longtime before he popped the question.  When he did propose, he did so with a five-carat  round brilliant cut diamond which was reported to be worth about $500,000.  But Lachey and Simpson announced their separation in November 2005 and the Irresistible singer filed for divorce on December 16, 2005.  The divorce was finalized about six months later on June 30, 2006. 

For more engagement rings of the stars, check out the Top Celebrity Engagement Rings page.

Image: Hollywooddame.com

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