The Most Famous Sapphire Engagement Ring in the World
The most famous sapphire engagement ring in the world is most likely that of Princess Diana, the same precious ring that afterward decorated the royal finger of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. It's absolutely stunning, and one of the most inspiring pieces of jewelry for women across the globe.
The gorgeous ring from the House of Garrard, made out of 18-carat white gold, is adorned with a 12-carat blue sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds. The fame of this ring is entirely justified by its beauty.
The popularity of this special piece of jewelry that has joined the British royal family's jewelry collection led to an explosion in sales of sapphire engagement rings around the world.
When did the story of the famous ring begin?
The sapphire ring first came into the spotlight in 1981, with the engagement between Princess Diana and Prince Charles. At that time, a big controversy arose due to the fact that, reportedly, Lady Di personally chose her own engagement ring, after she accepted Prince Charles' marriage proposal.
Although the choice was made from several models indicated by Prince Charles, the issue that intrigued the general public was that she was not asked, basically, to marry him with this specific piece of jewel. The unconventional approach was a unique situation for a royal family, so this lead to a lot of mixed feelings and arguments.
The intriguing situation brought in fact more attention to the mesmerizing blue sapphire engagement ring and, also, boosted the sales of such jewelry pieces around the world.
After the divorce, the Princess of Wales, mother of Prince William and Prince Harry, returned the sapphire-mounted jewel to her ex-husband.
The story of the famous ring continues with Kate Middleton
The exquisite jewel reappeared in the spotlight in 1997, after the Princess's death, when Prince Charles encouraged his two sons to choose one of their mother's belongings to remind them of her.
Prince Harry chose the blue sapphire ring, while Prince William, the oldest son of Diana, chose a gold watch.
Years later, the two brothers exchanged the precious jewels, when Prince William decided to propose to Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, in October 2010 during a holiday in Kenya. So, the exquisite blue sapphire engagement ring found its new destiny. The event again provoked new interest and admiration for sapphire engagement rings in all parts of the globe.
Their wedding took place in April 2011, exactly 30 years after the wedding between Diana and Charles, a moment of great celebration and joy for all the Britons.
How much does the beautiful jewel worth?
The well-known sapphire ring has an estimated price of half a million dollars, as its value has increased over the years, but, due to its sentimental value, it is in fact priceless for the British Royal Family.
Just think about the fact that this famous sapphire engagement ring was at the center of two royal palpitating love stories. It's no doubt that it continues to be one of the most popular standards in the world of engagement rings!