The third time’s the charm, it seems! Kary Brittingham’s engagement ring, her third one, looks like it comes from “the one” she’s waited for, in this case, Mark Anderson. After failing in love, this time she fell in love and is happy. It’s also the right man she accepted a lovely proposal from.
We went on an EXCLUSIVE phone call with Benjamin Khordipour, G.D., the GIA-certified gemologist and jewelry specialist of Estate Diamond Jewelry, to get his professional appraisal on the ring. Click here to see what he said.
Kary Brittingham’s Engagement Ring
Sometimes it takes a while for true love, and sometimes they save the best for last.
Mark wasn’t a latecomer to her life; he was right on time. He proposed to Kary on July 11, 2023, in Tuscany, Italy, at a covered bridge next to their hotel.
Kary Brittingham’s engagement ring is her third and most stunning. It features a whopping 10-carat, cushion-cut central diamond held with a claw prong setting. It has 2 trapezoid baguette side diamonds of 1 carat each on a thick platinum band.
Kary spoke about it on People, and she exclaimed, “It was the most romantic setting. He got down on one knee and started talking, and before he even had a chance to really ask me, I just said, ‘Yes, yes, a million times yes!’ I was so happy.”
Their romantic trip to Italy wasn’t just a vacation. It turned out to be a grand proposal that Mark planned, which followed an engagement honeymoon in Tuscany and in Lake Como, Lombardy, Italy.
“This ring is insane, and he picked it out himself. I had no clue. It’s perfect,” she added.
How Much Is Kary’s Ring Worth?
Our phone conversation with Benjamin Khordipour, G.D., the resident GIA-certified gemologist and jewelry specialist of NYC’s Estate Diamond Jewelry, gave us a professional assessment of the ring. The price? $600,000.
The biggest price drivers of this ring are the 10-carat cushion-cut center diamond, its 2 1-carat trapezoid side baguette diamonds, and its thick platinum band. Big carat diamonds are rare, and rarer still if they’re high quality.
The simple and elegant composition, with its craftsmanship, adds to that high value.
The cushion cut is one of the most elegant diamond shapes. Its combination of square and round diamond shapes is unique, with rounded edges that make it durable and not prone to chipping.
That said, cushion cuts create limitations that make it easy to show imperfections in color and clarity. There are important considerations to take note.
You need a high-clarity level cushion-cut diamond, VS2 or higher, to get at least a true eye-clean-level piece.
You also need a high color grade of H or higher if you want a clean, white-looking diamond. Color-wise, yellow or rose gold bands can match lower color grade diamonds, I or J grades. Matching them hides their slight discolorations.
Kary and Mark, and Their Love Story
Kary Brittingham is one of the popular cast members of The Real Housewives of Dallas reality show. She first appeared on Season 4 in 2019.
Her first appearance on reality TV was in an episode of Below Deck Mediterranean, season 2, in 2017. She was a charter guest with Jason Ziegler from the TV show Million Matchmaker.
Kary herself knows a thing or two about jewelry, having started the jewelry company, Kamo by Kary, in 2017.
Kary’s beau is Mark Anderson, a personal injury lawyer who founded the Anderson Injury Lawyers law firm in 2007. He is one of the top lawyers in the Dallas and Fort Worth area, and is board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law. He joins the elite 2% of the local lawyers with this certification.
Kary met Mark on July 15, 2022, on Match.com, a day after finding him on the dating platform.
She recalls how Mark got her attention on that matchmaking and dating site. She told People: “I’m the one who actually saw him first. I was in Aspen on a trip for my birthday, cause my birthday’s July 14, and I was laying on my friend’s bed, trying to rest up, when I started scrolling Facebook and this ad for Match.com popped up.
“Next thing I knew, I had downloaded and joined Match, and while scrolling, I liked his photo. The rest is history.”
There was instant chemistry before they even met in real life. They got into 4-hour calls and bonded instantly over the phone the next day. By the time they did meet, they were an instant match.
A year after dating, Mark knew it was time to pop the question and secure his love. They went on vacation to Italy, where Mark set up their proposal on July 11, 2023.
Happily Married!
After a year of dating, the couple married on June 20, 2024, in a breathtaking outdoor wedding in Savoca, Sicily, Italy. Their kids, as well as closest family and friends, attended the intimate wedding.
Their extended family was there to give support, with Mark’s daughter joining her 4 kids at their wedding vows.
Kary was hot and bridal-graceful with a strapless, sleeveless, deep V-neckline dress with a backless design. She matched it with a flirtatious skirt with a high slit cutaway and a court train.
Mark was looking fine as well, donning a cream suit with a white polo undershirt and blue tie.
The couple went through some minor stress when there were issues regarding the venue. “There was a lot we had to figure out until we arrived in Taormina, like our food tasting for the wedding dinner.”
Cancellations with the venue caused the couple some problems at the last minute. Kary recalled, “But the most stressful part was when our original villa was canceled due to construction issues. We had to scramble to find a replacement villa that could accommodate all of us. Luckily, we found an amazing villa with picturesque views of the Mediterranean, but that was nerve-wracking.”
