The Most Famous Sapphire Engagement Ring Of All!

When it comes to picking a stone for an engagement ring, it is a well-known fact that diamonds rule the roost. However, partly because of celebrity exposure and partly for historic or purely visual reasons, other stones have retained a certain degree of popularity as wedding ring toppers throughout history.

An emerald or a sapphire engagement ring, for example, will still constitute a popular alternative to the diamond, even in an age where new and more offbeat types of ring consistently land on the market. Again, one of the main reasons behind these classic jewels maintaining their appeal in seemingly timeless fashion might have something to do with celebrity endorsement and the exposure which results thereof.

In this regard, few types of jewel can claim to have as good a position on the market as the sapphire engagement ring. While celebrities such as Kim Kardashian regularly help give diamond jewellery a boost, emerald rings subtly sit on their perch, above all other types of jewels, and look down on their contenders, safe in the knowledge that their celebrity is one of the most timeless in all of history.

The main party responsible for putting the sapphire wedding ring on the map was none other than Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales and one of the most eternally beloved celebrities since Marylin Monroe (with whom her story shares certain similarities.) Jewellers marketing this type of jewel can therefore rest assured that as long as they have a connection with Diana, sapphires are sure to never go out of style as engagement ring toppers.

The ring in question was a whopping 18-carat sapphire engagement ring, which the former schoolteacher picked herself on the occasion of her engagement to Prince Charles, in 1981. By doing so, Diana continued the British Royal Family’s long-standing relationship with sapphires, which dates back to medieval times and continues to exist to this day (a large sapphire is one of the centrepieces of the British Crown Jewels, for example.)

That tradition was carried on even further recently, when Princess Catherine (herself with a story that in part mirrors Diana’s own) married Prince William. The ring the Prince chose to give his fiancée was the very same one that his father had put on his mother’s finger thirty-one years previously, and which had stayed in the family after Diana’s untimely death. In this way, sapphires continued to have an incredibly strong celebrity endorsement (while not as famous as Diana, Catherine is nevertheless well-liked) and the British Royal Family were able to carry on their traditional relationship with the jewels.

It is clear, then, that while the flagship for sapphire rings is the one belonging to Diana and then Kate, these jewels are very unlikely to go out of fashion any time soon.

Frank L Orman is the founder of the F&L Designer Guides, compiled and written to help consumers choose a unique engagement ring design. From a diamond to a sapphire engagement ring from a princess cut to a platinum band, we have ideas and opinions covering all the options. Offering advice, tips and suggestions on how to choose that perfect ring, F&L will accompany you on every stage of your search to find the right designer.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.