As an impressionable eight-year-old I remember watching the televised fairytale wedding of the Twentieth Century, Lady Di and Prince Charles, and being transfixed by the pomp and ceremony of it all. That dress! That train! That sapphire ring!
My fascination with the royals is still as firm as ever as I’ve watched them evolve (thanks to bingeing on Netflix episodes of The Crown) from aloof tax-grabbing landlords to ‘real people’ and ‘do-gooders’, who have achieved a celebrity status through their philanthropic actions.
Unless you’ve been under a rock, you’d be aware of the recent spate of royal engagements. Secrets throws the spotlight on these ‘celebrity’ rocks and shows you ‘look-a-likes’ from our 10-carat and 14-carat gold engagement ring collection so you too can ‘rock’ the celebrity look.
Royally posh rocks
When Prince William asked for Kate Middleton’s hand in marriage (2010) he placed on her ring finger an enormous legacy, the late Princess Diana’s iconic 12-carat sapphire-and-diamond cluster engagement ring. The Duchess of Cambridge has very big Jimmy Choo heels to fill as Diana was arguably the greatest style icon of the Twentieth Century.
Valued at AUD $650,000, it’s the royal engagement ring to trump all (contemporary) royal engagement rings. Not only does the Duchess of Cambridge boast the ring with largest carat weight, but she also has the weight of history behind her.
According to style bible, Vogue, in 1840 Prince Albert commissioned British jeweller Garrard to fashion a blue sapphire and diamond brooch as a present for his fiancée Queen Victoria. Legend has it she loved it so much she wore it as her ‘something blue’ on her wedding dress. The favourite brooch was inspiration for the large collection of sapphire jewellery the prince gifted his queen throughout their marriage.
Prince Charles was possibly channelling these Crown heirlooms when commissioned Garrard to craft Lady Di’s sapphire cluster engagement ring.
The cluster club
Princess Eugenie of York is the latest royal to join the ‘cluster club’ when she got engaged to Jack Brooksbank in January (2018).
Her rather feminine-looking engagement ring features a centre gemstone surrounded by diamonds – much like Diana/Kate’s and the ruby engagement ring her mother Sarah Ferguson received from her father Prince Andrew.
Eugenie’s pink padparadscha sapphire (a sort of cross between a ruby and a yellow sapphire) is surrounded by 10 brilliant cut diamonds and two pear cut diamonds – a modern twist on the standard classic cluster.
It’s estimated to be worth AUD $177,663.
‘Pippa’-ed to the post
Kate’s little sister Pippa Middleton pipped Princess Eugenie to the post when in 2016 she accepted a 3.5-carat asscher cut diamond ring from hedge fund CEO boyfriend James Matthews, to be valued at nearly a quarter of a million dollars.
Crafted by London jeweller Robinson Pelham, the white gold (or platinum) art deco-style ring is an eclectic choice for an engagement ring and hints at Pippa’s distinctive personal style.
An asscher cut has many complex facets so only diamonds which are virtually flawless like Pippa's can be cut this way. It's also a style of cut that bring out the highest quality clarity in a diamond.
Although not a true blue blood, Pippa’s relationship to the Duchess of Cambridge makes her an honorary royal.
Find out how you can own the right royal celebrity by clicking on the above Secrets rings.
