On July 1, 2026, professional rooftoppers Angela Nikolau and Ivan "Vanya" Beerkus climbed to the spire of the Empire State Building, hung a banner, and got engaged 1,454 feet above Manhattan. Within the hour, NYPD had them in custody. The empire state building proposal has gone viral for the climb and the arrest, but the detail nobody has actually nailed down is the ring: an oval cut diamond designed by Toronto jeweler Nuno Rocha (better known online as @diamondboi), engraved with the words "Your full potential is on the other side of fear." Jewelry accounts on Instagram can't even agree on the metal: some say platinum, some say 18k white gold. I looked at what's actually verifiable here, and I'll show you how to tell the two apart yourself.
What Actually Happened on Top of the Empire State Building?
Around 12:44pm on Wednesday, two people in black climbing gear and masks reached the antenna of the Empire State Building and unfurled a banner reading "When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace" (a line often misattributed to Jimi Hendrix, actually spoken by 19th century British politician William Gladstone). They stayed up there for about 30 minutes before descending to a platform at the base of the spire, where Beerkus dropped to one knee and proposed. Forbes reported the pair had entered through a locked maintenance hatch on the 102nd floor observation deck, and the NYPD is still investigating exactly how they got the door open.
It's worth saying plainly: this wasn't sanctioned. Only one person has ever legally climbed the exterior of the building, actor Jared Leto, in 2023, as a promotional stunt with the building's cooperation. The Empire State Building is already considered one of the most iconic proposal spots in the country, and you don't need a maintenance hatch to make that true. The observation deck reopened to the public later that afternoon.
Who Are Angela Nikolau and Vanya Beerkus?
Nikolau and Beerkus (legal name Ivan Kuznetsov) are "rooftoppers," a small subculture of urban climbers who scale skyscrapers without ropes or permission, usually to shoot dramatic photos and videos from the top. They're based in Moscow originally and moved to New York within the past year. Their relationship and climbs were the subject of the 2024 Netflix documentary "Skywalkers: A Love Story", which followed them scaling Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, the world's second tallest building at 2,227 feet. Their verified climbs also include Goldin Finance 117 in China, Mercury City Tower in Russia, the Eiffel Tower, and Notre-Dame Cathedral. Nikolau has said in interviews that the pair try to avoid climbing churches too often out of respect, and that they steer clear of political statements, focusing instead on what Beerkus calls "the message of love."
None of that makes what they did legal. It does explain why this proposal reads less like a spontaneous idea and more like a planned production, cameras included.
What Charges Are They Facing, and What Happens Next?
Nikolau and Beerkus were arraigned Thursday and face burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, violation of a local law, criminal tampering, possession of burglar's tools, and disorderly conduct, according to ABC News. Both were released on supervised release, and their next court date is scheduled for August 24. CBS New York and Al Jazeera both note this isn't a first offense pattern for the pair, just the first time they've been caught doing it in New York.
What Do We Know About the Engagement Ring?
Here's the part I actually get asked about. The ring was designed by Nuno Rocha, a Toronto based jeweler who goes by @diamondboi, who posted his own confirmation directly:
diamondboi's post and follow-on coverage from Daily Voice confirm two things: the center stone is an oval cut diamond, and the inside of the band is engraved with "Your full potential is on the other side of fear." No carat weight or grading report has been made public, and I'm not going to guess at one. That's exactly the kind of detail that separates a real gemologist's take from a repost.
Where accounts disagree is the metal. Some jewelry Instagram posts describe "a classic platinum solitaire." Others say "an 18k white gold band." This isn't a small distinction, platinum and 18k white gold look nearly identical in photos but behave very differently over time (platinum is denser, doesn't need rhodium replating, and develops a soft patina instead of scratching bright). From the available images, I can't make a confident call either, and neither can anyone else working from Instagram photos alone. What you'd actually need is a loupe on the hallmark stamped inside the band (platinum is usually marked PT950 or PT900, white gold 18K or 750), or a quick check with an electronic metal tester. If you ever buy a ring secondhand or vintage, ask to see that stamp before you take anyone's word for the metal.
One more thing worth clarifying: this is a genuine engagement ring, not a placeholder. There's a real difference between a promise ring and the real thing, and an engraved, custom-designed piece from a named jeweler puts this firmly in the second category.
Why Do Stunts Like This Keep Going Viral?
My honest opinion: it's not the height. Plenty of stunts happen 1,000 feet up and nobody remembers them a week later. What makes this one stick is the specificity, an engraved message only the two of them fully understand, from a jeweler who put his name on it. That's the same reason celebrity rings go viral even without a felony attached, this isn't the first ring to make headlines, and it won't be the last. People don't remember carat weight. They remember the one detail that couldn't have belonged to anyone else.
That's good news if you're planning your own proposal, because it means the wow factor is buildable without a permit violation.
How Do You Get the "Wow" Without the Handcuffs?
Three things actually move the needle on a proposal people remember, in order: a ring with a story built into it, a setting with real visual presence, and a location that means something to the two of you (not necessarily 1,454 feet up). A few notes before you shop:
Lab grown diamonds run 30 to 50 percent less than mined stones of the same cut, color, and clarity, and moissanite runs another 10 to 20 percent below lab grown. That price gap is exactly what lets you upsize the visual impact, a bigger stone, a statement setting, custom engraving, without upsizing the risk of a felony charge to pay for it. If you want more on how to think through settings before you buy, read our guide to engagement ring settings first.
A statement halo that reads from across the room, the same "can't miss it" presence as a viral proposal photo, no antenna required.
Elongated pear cuts give more visual size per carat than round brilliants, which are honestly over-recommended because they're easy to sell, not because they're the best-looking option for the price.
The interior of a band is prime real estate for a private message, take a page from diamondboi's playbook and have yours engraved before it's ever worn.
For the location itself, you don't need a maintenance hatch. Our roundup of romantic proposal ideas covers legal ways to get a comparable "we'll never forget this" reaction, several of them in New York City, all of them without a court date attached.
FAQ
Who are Angela Nikolau and Vanya Beerkus?
Angela Nikolau and Vanya Beerkus (legal name Ivan Kuznetsov) are Moscow born "rooftoppers" who climb skyscrapers without permission, known for starring in Netflix's 2024 documentary "Skywalkers: A Love Story."
What happened during the Empire State Building proposal?
On July 1, 2026, the couple climbed to the building's spire, hung a peace banner, and got engaged before being taken into NYPD custody about an hour later.
What charges do Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus face?
They face burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, criminal tampering, possession of burglar's tools, and disorderly conduct, with their next court date set for August 24.
What does the engraving on Angela Nikolau's engagement ring say, and who designed it?
The ring is engraved "Your full potential is on the other side of fear" and was designed by Toronto jeweler Nuno Rocha, known online as @diamondboi, who confirmed the piece on Instagram.
Can you legally climb the Empire State Building to propose?
No, only one sanctioned climb has ever happened (actor Jared Leto's 2023 promotional climb), and scaling the exterior without authorization is a crime in New York City.
How can I plan a proposal that's just as memorable without breaking the law?
Focus on a ring detail unique to your relationship (like custom engraving), a setting with real visual presence, and a meaningful legal location, the personalization is what people remember, not the risk involved.
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Additional sources: ABC7 New York, ABC7 New York (breaking), The Daily Beast, LADbible.
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