Princess Diana's Engagement Ring & Celebrity Sapphire Rings

Catherine, Princess of Wales

Princess Diana's ring, worn since 2010

Stone

Blue sapphire from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

Shape

Oval

Reported carat

12 ct

Setting

Cluster of 14 round diamonds around the sapphire

Metal

18-karat white gold

Jeweler

Garrard

Given by

Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer (1981); Prince William to Catherine Middleton (2010)

Lady Diana Spencer chose the ring in 1981 from Garrard's existing collection rather than having one made, which was unusual for a royal engagement. It is reported as a 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 round diamonds in 18-karat white gold.

Prince William proposed to Catherine Middleton with his mother's ring during a private holiday in Kenya in October 2010, and the engagement was announced on November 16, 2010. "It's my mother's engagement ring, so of course it's very special to me," he said.

Published accounts of the 1981 price differ, and the ring is an heirloom that is not for sale, so any modern value is an estimate.

Good to know: A cluster or halo of diamonds makes a center sapphire look larger and frames its color.

As publicly reported. Sources: [1], [2], [15]

Empress Joséphine

Napoleon Bonaparte's engagement ring

Stone

Blue sapphire and diamond

Shape

Two pear shapes, set in opposite directions

Reported carat

Just under 1 ct each (reported)

Setting

Toi-et-moi ("you and me"): a pear sapphire beside a pear diamond

Metal

Gold

Jeweler

Not documented

Given by

Napoleon Bonaparte to Joséphine de Beauharnais

Napoleon gave Joséphine a modest toi-et-moi ring in 1796: a pear-shaped blue sapphire and a pear-shaped diamond, each reported at just under a carat, set side by side on a slim gold band.

The French auction house Osenat sold it in March 2013, against a pre-sale estimate reported at roughly $13,000 to $26,000. It brought a hammer price of €730,000 (about $949,000 at the time), or €896,400 including fees.

Good to know: Toi-et-moi rings pair two stones, one for each partner. The style is one of the oldest in engagement jewelry.

As publicly reported. Sources: [5], [6]

Princess Anne

First engagement ring, 1973

Stone

Blue sapphire

Shape

Not publicly specified

Reported carat

Not disclosed

Setting

Three-stone: a central sapphire with a diamond on either side

Metal

Not publicly specified

Jeweler

Not documented

Given by

Captain Mark Phillips

Princess Anne became engaged to Captain Mark Phillips in May 1973. Her ring set a blue sapphire at the center with a diamond on either side, a striking choice for a royal bride at the time.

The three-stone layout gives a sapphire room to show its color, with a bright diamond on each side.

Good to know: Three-stone rings are often read as past, present and future.

As publicly reported. Sources: [7], [3]

Princess Anne

Second engagement ring, 1992

Stone

Blue sapphire, cabochon cut

Shape

Oval cabochon

Reported carat

Not disclosed

Setting

Oval cabochon sapphire with small diamonds on either side

Metal

Not publicly specified

Jeweler

Not documented

Given by

Timothy Laurence (now Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence)

For her second marriage, in December 1992, Princess Anne's ring from Timothy Laurence set an oval cabochon sapphire, polished smooth and domed rather than faceted, with small diamonds on each side.

Cabochons show a sapphire's color as a soft, even glow and are a traditional, durable cut.

Good to know: A cabochon is a gem polished into a smooth dome instead of being cut with facets.

As publicly reported. Sources: [7], [4], [3]

Elizabeth Hurley

Engagement ring, 2011

Stone

Blue sapphire

Shape

Square step cut

Reported carat

Not disclosed

Setting

Three-stone: the square sapphire flanked by two triangular diamonds

Metal

Not publicly specified

Jeweler

Not documented

Given by

Shane Warne

Elizabeth Hurley's 2011 engagement ring from cricketer Shane Warne was reported as a large square sapphire with a diamond on each side, at a cost of about £30,000.

Later coverage describes the side stones as triangle-shaped diamonds, which gives the ring a crisp, geometric look.

Sources do not fully agree: the 2011 report and later coverage describe the center as a sapphire, but one HELLO! photo caption calls it a blue diamond. No jeweler, carat weight or metal has been confirmed, so treat the details as publicly reported rather than verified.

Good to know: Triangular side stones (trillions) widen a ring's look on the hand.

As publicly reported. Sources: [8], [9]

Princess Eugenie

Engagement ring, 2018

Stone

Padparadscha sapphire (pinkish orange)

Shape

Oval

Reported carat

Not disclosed

Setting

Diamond cluster around the sapphire, with a pear-shaped diamond on each shoulder

Metal

Gold band

Jeweler

Not named

Given by

Jack Brooksbank

Buckingham Palace announced Princess Eugenie's engagement to Jack Brooksbank on January 22, 2018, after a proposal in Nicaragua. Her ring centers on an oval padparadscha sapphire, a rare pinkish-orange variety, in a cluster of diamonds on a gold band, with a pear-shaped diamond on each side.

The Telegraph noted its likeness to the ruby cluster engagement ring of her mother, Sarah Ferguson.

Good to know: Padparadscha is named from the Sinhalese word for lotus blossom (GIA).

As publicly reported. Sources: [10], [11], [4], [15]

Gwyneth Paltrow

Engagement ring, 2018

Stone

Blue sapphire

Shape

Not publicly specified

Reported carat

Not disclosed

Setting

Large sapphire on claw prongs, with micro-pavé diamonds on the prongs, gallery and band

Metal

White metal (not confirmed)

Jeweler

Not confirmed

Given by

Brad Falchuk

Gwyneth Paltrow first wore her engagement ring from Brad Falchuk in public at the Producers Guild Awards in January 2018. Coverage described a large blue sapphire.

Jewelry writer Marion Fasel described micro-pavé diamonds on the prongs, the gallery and a blackened band, and suggested a possible maker based on its design. The maker and carat weight have not been confirmed.

Good to know: Micro-pavé sets very small diamonds close together so the metal itself seems to sparkle.

As publicly reported. Sources: [12], [13]

Halle Berry

Engagement ring, 2026

Stone

Round diamond center with step-cut sapphires

Shape

Round (diamond center)

Reported carat

Not disclosed

Setting

Retro-era ring: step-cut sapphires around the center, plus four fancy-shaped diamonds

Metal

Yellow gold

Jeweler

Unsigned (believed French, late 1940s to early 1950s)

Given by

Van Hunt

Halle Berry confirmed her engagement to musician Van Hunt in February 2026. Her ring, sourced through a vintage dealer, has a round diamond center surrounded by step-cut sapphires and four fancy-shaped diamonds in yellow gold.

National Jeweler reported that the unsigned ring dates from the end of the Retro period, the late 1940s to early 1950s, and is believed to be French.

Good to know: Here the sapphires frame a diamond: a classic Retro-era way to add color.

As publicly reported. Sources: [14]