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Kate Middleton debuted 5-ring stacks this September. The Princess of Wales wears Princess Diana’s sapphire engagement ring, which has been trending for decades, along with a Welsh gold wedding ring and three eternal bands.
Kate Middleton recently made the headline for the five ring stack she wore at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral. The combination featured three other eternal bands, including the 12-carat Garard Sapphire and Diamond Ring of his late mother Princess Diana, the Welsh Gold Wedding Band, and the Sapphire and Diamond Band that he introduced in 2024.
Kate and Diana are, for a variety of reasons, uncontroversial trendsetters in bridal jewelry. Angie Kennedy, Vice President of Merchandising at Zales, explains to Elle: I paired it with a diamond halo to make the coloured gem and halo style highly desirable.
“Now, Kate wears it, so she respects tradition, but she also gives it a modern twist of her own. It really embodies the idea of ”your ring, your rules.”
Steph Mazuera, who founded a jewelry brand with its own name, said, “The Bridge Era. I’ve seen it live in the hands of the royal family for over 40 years. It’s deeply rooted in the history of the family, but still feels modern and ambitious today.
Below, the jeweler continues to break down the details of Kate’s five-ring stack.
Kate Middleton’s engagement ring-free stack.
Kate and Diana’s engagement ring comes in a halo setting with 14 rounds of brilliant diamonds.
Kennedy said the iconic sparkler has a “classic yet distinctive halo setting. It has an oval 12-carat Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 rounds of ornate diamonds in 18 carat white gold. The prongs are particularly interesting when viewed from the side, as they emulate the appearance of the crown and tiara.
Princess Diana in a ring.
Mazuela adds: “The design is said to have been inspired by the royal brooch of the 1840s. Antique references combine modern improvements: a clean white gold band tapering towards the sapphire and a halo that assembles the central stone without overwhelming it.”
The engagement ring was designed to support 12 carat sapphires.
Lauren Boc, founder and CEO of Hera Fine Jewelry, explained: “It features a wide basket to balance such a large stone and the top-heavy nature of the cathedral shoulders. It also has quite a band and 14 nail prongs.”
Kennedy adds: “It’s all about craftsmanship with this size stone. The sapphire holds firmly with strong prongs, the band is reinforced for durability and designed for balance and comfort.
Mazuela also points out the density of stones. “Twelve carats are certainly quite a bit, but sapphires are more dense than diamonds, so 12 carat sapphires don’t appear as big as 12 carat diamonds of the same cut. The cathedral style environment stabilizes the gems, but I’m sure the sapphires are 14 personal heights. Symmetry.”
Kate Middleton wore an engagement ring in February 2011.
The engagement ring is on sale for around $500,000 today.
Although some elements of Kate and Diana’s engagement rings cannot be replicated, Kennedy estimates that a comparable stone piece will be selling for around $500,000 today.
Mazuela agrees, “I agree that an extraordinary quality of 12 carat Sri Lankan sapphire like Diana can cost over $100,000 on its own. With the addition of diamond halos and the level of craftsmanship required, such rings will be valued in the range of hundreds of dollars.”
BOC states, “High-quality natural Ceylon sapphires are extremely rare and valuable, especially at this size. The price of natural sapphires varies greatly depending on quality, richness of colour, whether they are being treated or not.”
This piece helped popularize the coloured gems of engagement rings.
“Diana’s ring has brought colored gems back to the engagement ring conversation,” explains Mazuela. “Many clients are hesitant to choose sapphire or ruby on diamonds, which they feel is less traditional, but Diana, and now Kate, has shown that the coloured central stone is classic and permanent.
Boc said, “At Hera, we still have clients who refer to it in search of similarly dramatic halo rings or similar coloured sapphires. I love that it features coloured gems rather than more typical diamonds.”
Kate’s wedding stack is trendy and deeply iconic.
“Stacking is one of today’s most powerful gem trends, and Kate really made it his own,” says Kennedy. “She layered Welsh gold wedding bands with eternal rings, some featuring sapphires and diamonds, mixing metal colors for a modern twist. What makes sense is how you can use those bands to mark milestones and create your own story.”
William is believed to have given Kate the first ever eternal band to feature diamonds in Prince George’s Anushka’s white gold band in 2013. She also wears a slim pave diamond band.
Kate Middleton is showing her ring stack in 2024, including her new diamonds and an eternal band of sappers.
“The fact that all her bands are flashing and sitting seamlessly shows her attention to the design, but the symbolism behind each piece creates a trendsetting for her stack,” Kennedy points out.
Mazuela agrees: “I think her eternal band of sapphires and diamonds is Etinsel de Cartier. Even with such a major engagement ring, paired with the eternal band of Pave Diamond, the stack feels harmonious and wearable.”
She said, “Today, more couples are piling up complementary bands to personalise their heirloom engagement rings. Kate’s addition makes her set feel clear and overlaps personal meaning with royal tradition.
Kate’s Welsh gold wedding rings are almost precious, and her entire stack is worth tens of thousands.
BOC loves Kate’s decision to mix metal into the stack, particularly to call for a Welsh gold wedding ring. “There is little mined Wales gold, and it is traditionally used to make royal wedding rings in the UK,” she says. “Between its natural rarity and historic connection, I thought her Welsh gold wedding ring was incredibly valuable.”
Kennedy says there is great value in the entire stack. “Depending on the manufacturer and gem, her stack without an engagement ring is likely to be valued by tens of thousands.”
Mazuela said, “Her eternal bands are likely to fall in the $5,000-$15,000 each, with potential Cartier pieces in the high end.”
Kate Middleton wears a Welsh gold wedding and engagement ring in 2023.
The ring is washed away and protects against wear.
Many brides stack wedding rings and engagement rings at least, and Kate is carefully designed to wash away them so they don’t damage each other.
This is important for those who design ring stacks. The BOC explains: “It’s very valuable, like a heirloom engagement ring, and it’s important that the stack does not create damage or wear over time. A certain style of diamond wedding band can be eaten on an engagement ring from the very hard diamond friction that has been rubbing against relatively soft gold over the years.
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