Vanessa Minnillo Gift of Love?

Vanessa Minnillo has been showing off an impressive pair of $40,000 diamond stud earrings that boyfriend Nick Lachey gave her. The backstory is that the earrings were sort of a "shut up" present. They were NOT the gift Vanessa wanted. She has been hoping for a diamond RING - an engagement ring, to be exact. Nick doesn't consider himself ready for that commitment just yet, so he presented her with the earrings to buy himself some time.