Picking an engagement ring — much less a fiancée — is a big deal. And for Bachelor Ben Higgins, it was clearly a very big, if briefly fraught, decision.
Courtesy Neil Lane/ABC
“Ben was so emotionally involved in the process, and concentrating so intently on picking the ring and taking all his decisions about the women so to heart that suddenly, without saying anything, he just stood up and left,” jeweler Neil Lane tells PEOPLE of a dramatic moment he shared with Higgins, who interrupted his ring session with Lane to collect himself on a Jamaican beach. “It was very intense. That never happened before.”
Courtesy Neil Lane
Of course, once the tearful 26-year-old Indiana native worked through his emotions (“Here was a guy making a huge decision about the rest of his life, and he knew somebody was going to get hurt and he needed a break,” says Lane), Higgins returned composed, and ready to hone in on a perfect ring for now-financée Lauren Bushnell.
His impressive choice? A 4.25-carat Art Deco-style ring set with a central radiant-cut diamond and surrounded by over 240 round and baguette cut diamonds. And according to ABC, it’s the largest ring to be given in the entirety of the franchise, both Bachelor or Bachelorette.
“Ben wanted to learn all about the diamonds and he liked the shape, the radiant cut and geometric, Art Deco vibe,” says Lane of the ring, handcrafted in platinum. “It makes a strong statement with all the details and of course it sparkles every way you look at it.”
Kevin Mazur/Getty
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Having witnessed Higgins’ all-in commitment first-hand, Lane has little doubt he’s in this relationship for the long haul.
“The ring decision, and the whole process, seemed to be enormous for Ben,” he says. “He is a really, really nice, down-to-earth, serious guy in love. It’s a huge deal!”
For more on Ben and Lauren’s engagement, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE on newsstands everywhere Friday.
What do you think of her ring? Did Ben do a good job? Share below!
–Elizabeth Leonard
