Fairy Tale Jewelry

Just as they did with Princess Diana, The British and royal-watchers over the world have fallen in love with Princess Kate. There’s her accessible beauty, her fashionable style and the fairy tale nature of her romance with Wills. Oh, and don’t forget about the jewelry.

There is no question she now has a fairy tale jewelry box. As a royal, she can access some of the most storied jewelry in the word. But thanks to her grounded nature, which so endears her to many, she mixes historically fabulous pieces with much more accessible pieces. Let’s take a peek into Kate’s fairy tale jewelry box.

It all started with the ring. After Diana’s tragic death, both of her sons chose mementos of their mother’s to remember her by. William chose her gold Cartier Tank Francaise watch, while Harry chose her iconic engagement ring, a 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds all set in 18-karat white gold. The ring was originally created for Diana by former Crown Jeweller Garrard & Co. When William was planning to propose in 2010, Prince Harry happily exchanged pieces with his brother. The meaning of the ring was evident to all when the couple announced their engagement, with William noting that the ring ensured his mother was part of the excitement of the day.

It was meaningful to Kate too, who said, “It’s beautiful. I just hope to look after it. It’s very, very special.”

On the day you become an official princess, it seems more than appropriate to wear a tiara. Kate wore the “Halo” Tiara for her big day, a Cartier piece which the Duke of York (later King George VI) gave to the future Queen Elizabeth on her 18th birthday (the Queen Mum then gave it to the current Queen Elizabeth on her 18th birthday). The tiara’s 16 scrolls are set with 739 brilliant diamonds and 149 baton diamonds. While this is quite extravagant, the “Halo” Tiara is actually considered more subtle and less opulent. Considering Kate’s penchant for more understated elegance, it’s fitting that Queen Elizabeth loaned her that piece for the fairy tale wedding. Kate’s parents had matching earrings commissioned, which melded the scrolls of the tiara with an acorn and oak leaves from the Middleton family coat of arms.

Princess or not, tiaras aren’t everyday fare. Kate is a fan of several moderately priced jewelry brands which she wears with regularity, including on the day of her engagement announcement. Kate’s style mixes royal elegance with modern beauty in a way not seen since Princess Diana.

To look after your own sapphires and diamonds, use a fine jewelry cleaning formulation as recommended by your jeweler. And to clean intricate pieces like Kate’s tiara and wedding earrings, use a cleaning formulation safe for the stones used in the piece. Softer, more porous stones require a non-ammoniated gentle cleaning formula. Brush gently with a jewelry brush or use a jewelry cleaning stick, like The Kingswood Company’s Sparkle + Shine Stick, which has a built-in brush that is perfect for reaching underneath stones and around settings.