This is how much Princess Diana's engagement ring is worth now

Ever wondered how much Princess Diana’s engagement ring is worth? Well experts have valued it in today’s jewellery market and it’s pretty impressive.

But first let’s take a step back and give you a little background about it. When Prince Charles proposed in February 1981, his choice for Princess Diana’s engagement ring was a little controversial.

Why? Because instead of picking a family heirloom, of which there were no doubt many in the royal collection, he let Diana pick her ring instead, a ring she would later re-design to suit her taste even better. She was also known to wear it with two watches as a tribute to her fiancé.

She got to choose the design from a selection of rings by Garrard, the royal jeweller, and as it wasn’t even bespoke, anyone could have bought the same one at the time.

Diana picked what is now Kate Middleton’s engagement ring, a gorgeous sapphire surrounded by diamonds, set on a white gold band.

At the time, it cost Prince Charles £28,000, but how much would it be worth in today’s market? Jeweller Susannah Lovis estimates it to be over £100k.

She says, ‘Kate’s beautiful ring was bought from the then Crown Jewellers, Garrard in 1981. It created an uproar at the time as it wasn’t a bespoke piece thought to be fit for a Princess but rather a ring that anyone could buy. The central stone is a large 12ct Ceylon Sapphire surrounded by a halo of smaller diamonds. While prices of Ceylon sapphires have gone up in the intervening 40 years they haven’t soared like gold. If this ring were bought today then you would spend in excess of £150,000’.

Some might say the history attached to it makes it simply priceless.

The post This is how much Princess Diana's engagement ring is worth now appeared first on Marie Claire.