On Saturday 17th July 2021, Princess Beatrice celebrated her first wedding anniversary to husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, who she married in a private ceremony, with just a small number of guests attending.
While the Royal wedding was intimate and understated in comparison to some of the others, Princess Beatrice’s engagement ring stands out from the crowd, oozing luxury, glamour, and of course, some incredible diamonds.
It was in September 2019 when Edoardo popped the question to his princess, during a romantic holiday in Italy. The stunning ring was designed by highly reputable British jeweller, Shaun Leane, who worked with Edoardo to create a piece of jewellery that embodied the couple’s personality and love story.
Taking a close look at the ring in question, jewellery experts at Steven Stone have revealed everything you need to know.
The features and value
Princess Beatrice’s ring is truly captivating. At its heart is a stunning six-claw round cut diamond, estimated to be around 3 carats in size. Flanking the round diamond are two tapered baguettes, imparting a vintage elegance and Art Deco-inspired charm. To enhance its brilliance, the ring also boasts small pavé diamonds adorning halfway around the band.
Upon close examination of the images, it’s evident that the diamonds exhibit a VVS grade, indicating their exceptional clarity with minute inclusions that are virtually invisible even under 10x magnification. The diamonds appear flawless.
With these remarkable features in mind, our leading diamond expert, Maxwell Stone, estimated the value of the ring to be between £130,000 and £140,000. He also revealed that given its royal heritage, its worth is poised to appreciate significantly over time.
Was Beatrice’s ring inspired by other Royal ladies?
The diamonds in Princess Beatrice’s ring are ethically-sourced stones from Botswana, just like the centre stone in the ring that Prince Harry gave Meghan Markle, which gives them a unique connection.
Botswana is known to be one of Meghan and Harry’s favourite places, however, Botswana is also known as one of the world’s largest sources of ethical diamonds, which makes this country a popular choice for couples who are mindful of how their diamonds are produced.
Alongside Meghan’s ring, Princess Beatrice has a very similar design to Queen Elizabeth II’s, who’s engagement ring also featured a beautiful Art Deco design, flanked by diamond panels.
Both rings feature a three carat diamond as the centre stone – however, after taking a close look at the ring, Maxwell estimates it to be worth around £207,082, which is over £60,000 more than Beatrice’s.
In comparison, Meghan Markle’s ring is estimated to be worth around £96,729, whilst Kate Middleton’s is now worth around £300,000 thanks to its timeless legacy.
To create the Queen’s engagement ring, Prince Philip worked with jewellers at Philip Antrobus Ltd, using diamonds from his mother Princess Alice of Battenburg’s diamond-and-aquamarine tiara which she had been given as a wedding present.
Why is her wedding ring so unique?
Beatrice’s wedding band is just as incredible as her engagement ring, too. The ring was also designed by Shaun Leane, who used platinum and pave diamonds to create a look that perfectly compliments the engagement ring.
However, the wedding ring is very different to those worn by other Royal ladies, too. It’s a huge a break from tradition as typically royal wedding bands are made from Welsh gold.
Her sister, Princess Eugenie, along with Meghan Markle, and Kate Middleton all own Welsh gold bands. This is because British royal wedding rings follow a special tradition started by the Queen Mother in 1923.
To mark the special ties between British royalty and Wales, King George VI had the Queen Mother’s wedding ring designed in rare Welsh gold. The royal family obtained a large nugget of gold from the Clogau St. David’s Gold Mine in Bontddu, North Wales, to make the Queen Mother’s wedding ring.
Royal jewellers used the same gold nugget to craft wedding rings for Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, Princess Anne and Princess Diana.
After so many rings, little of the original nugget remained. However, the British Royal Legion gifted Queen Elizabeth II with a second nugget of Welsh gold in the 1980s. From this second gold nugget, jewellers made wedding rings for Sarah Ferguson, Prince Edward, Sophie Wessex, King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
In 2010, Queen Elizabeth II presented Prince William and Kate Middleton with gold from this nugget for the creation of Kate’s wedding ring.
If you’re looking for jewellery to rival royalty, our team can design bespoke creations, tailored to you. From engagement rings and wedding rings to necklaces and pendants, your options are endless.
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