HEATHER RAE YOUNG told her 932,000 Instagram followers that she is “absolutely obsessed” with her new 8.08-carat emerald-cut diamond and that she can’t stop staring at it.
The 32-year-old former model and Selling Sunset reality TV star received the gorgeous ring during a romantic beachfront proposal orchestrated by Tarek El Moussa, who is best known for his hit HGTV show, Flip or Flop. In the lead-up to the proposal, which was filmed by HGTV, Young was led down a sandy pathway lined with candles and flowers.
El Moussa recruited jewelry designer Benny Hayoun of Los Angeles-based Benny and the Gems to help him source the perfect stone. Emerald is her favorite diamond cut and the carat weight of 8.08 is significant because “8” is Young’s lucky number. (Eight is also said to be the luckiest number in Chinese culture, as it represents prosperity and happiness.)
“It’s perfect for me in every way!,” Young exclaimed on Instagram. “Thank you Mr. El Moussa for making me the happiest!”
Young posted a series of proposal photos and asked her Instagram followers for feedback about the ring.
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“Do you guys love it??? Tell me tell me!!” she wrote.
Comments were unanimously positive, with @gemmaleefarrell stating, “Literally insane,” @southern.with.sass adding, “Gorgeous! Emerald cut is my absolute FAVE. Classic and timeless,” and @brittanymasonofficial exclaiming, “Incredible!!!! GORGEOUS emeralds are the best! Well done.”
Within four days, the post had earned more than 111,000 likes.
Young shared the inside story of how she almost got a peek of the diamond prematurely while El Moussa was filming an episode of Flip or Flop. Young was visiting the set, hanging out in a luxury van, when her boyfriend approached her and said that under no circumstances should she come outside the van or open the blinds.
“I asked him for days ‘What were you doing? When can you tell me?’ He wouldn’t budge. It was a hard no! Well turns out he was meeting with Benny to look at the diamond. They had it shipped in from Europe.”
On his Instagram page, the 38-year-old El Moussa proudly posted pics of the emerald-cut diamond ring, adding the caption, “After receiving hundreds of messages, here it is…the RING!! My good buddy and jeweler @bennyandthegems searched all over the world for this stone!. I went with an 8.08 Carat Emerald cut diamond for my love @heatherraeyoung. So…How did I do!? Hope you like it!”
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El Moussa hinted that the ring is actually a work in progress.
“Right now, I just got her the main stone, but what I want to do is design the rest of the ring together,” he said. “I provide the stone, and now we actually build the ring.”
The couple told a celebrity website that they won’t officially tie the knot until things are “back to normal.” They’re hoping that health risks related to the coronavirus pandemic will subside so they can tie the knot in about 12 months.
