Traditionally, in Sweden they do not exchange elegant engagement rings; instead, they frequently trade modest gold bands during the engagement, keeping the more glitzy ring for the bride on the wedding day.
Within the royal family, Crown Princess Victoria’s aunt Princess Birgitta got engaged to Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern in 1960 with a gold band, while her brother and Victoria’s father King Carl XVI Gustaf followed suit in 1976.
However, in more recent years, the tradition has been broken, with three of our favourite princesses opting for more modern rings which feature some impressive diamonds.
To find out more, Steven Stone’s leading jewellery experts took a close look at the engagement rings in the Swedish royal family to see which ladies have created a new trend of engagement rings.
Princess Sofia
Value: £10,000
In 2014, Prince Carl Phillip proposed to model Sofia Hellqvist with a round diamond surrounded by a halo of smaller diamonds set on a pavé band. Following their wedding, Princess Sofia now pairs the engagement ring with a diamond-encrusted wedding band.
According to reports, Prince Carl Philip worked on the design with court jeweller W.A. Bolin, which is remarkable given how simple and common the design is. The same high-end jewellery company also created a ring for Princess Victoria.
Sofia wore her engagement ring and a pair of bracelets for her first appearance at Sweden’s parliament’s annual opening session, the Riksdag.
On June 13, 2015, Prince Carl Philip Sofia Hellqvist in a beautiful ceremony at the royal church in Stockholm, with horse-drawn carriages and exquisite royal guests. However, instead of presents, they have asked that well-wishers make a charity donation to the Prince Couple’s Foundation.
The foundation was established specifically for the wedding to promote and support care and education. She, like most members of the royal family, donates to a variety of charities. She even co-founded Project Playground in 2010, which strives to help underprivileged children in Africa.
“Sofia’s opulent engagement ring is set on a double-diamond band. It has a brilliant round cut centre diamond that’s surrounded by a halo of lesser diamonds. It is simple and understated, yet at the same time it breaks royal tradition, making it stand out from the crowd. We think a ring like this would be worth around £10,000.”
Maxwell stone, creative director, steven stone
Crown Princess Victoria
Value:£100,000
Crown Princess Victoria got engaged to her personal trainer Daniel Westling on 24 February 2009, proudly showing off her white gold ring with a round cut diamond solitaire.
A year later on 19th June 2010, Daniel and Victoria tied the knot in Stockholm, with the eyes of millions of royal spectators upon them.
This year will mark their 12th wedding anniversary, and Victoria is still seemingly in love with her engagement ring – as she is barely seen without it. Paired with her wedding band, she usually wears the two rings together like a marriage made it heaven.
It’s believed that the engagement ring was designed by Bolin, the official court jewellers of King Carl XVI Gustaf.
“If I were to estimate, I’d have to say the solitaire is between two and three carats and no doubt of excellent quality. It is set perfectly on a white gold band, with a design that’s classic, timeless, and sophisticated. This ring is probably worth around £75,000 to £100,000.”
Maxwell stone, creative director, steven stone
Princess Madeleine
Value:£150,000
On October 25, 2012, the Swedish Royal Court announced Princess Madeleine’s engagement with the British-born American financier Christopher O’Neill.
Christopher proposed to Madeleine with a stunning Asscher-cut diamond ring.
The four-carat stone is paired with a delicate pavé band, representing a modern, minimalist style. The sleek Asscher-cut sits in a relatively simple setting and she wears it between two skinny pave diamond bands.
“This gorgeous ring features a four carat asscher cut stone. Pippa Middleton also chose an asscher cut stone for her engagement ring, and it’s becoming increasingly popular with both royals and celebrities, as not only is it unique, but it has a rich history behind it.
“The Asscher cut was invented in 1902 by Joseph Asscher, the artisan diamond cutter who founded the Royal Asscher Diamond Company. It was the first patented diamond cut, protecting it from replication from other companies. The Asscher cut was a staple of art deco jewellery, with its straight lines and brilliance making it perfect for the movement.
“Bearing all this in mind, it’s likely that Princess Madeleine’s engagement ring is worth around £150,000.”
Zack stone, managing director, steven stone
If you’re looking for an engagement ring or wedding ring and would like to browse for inspiration, take a look at our ready to wear collection or chat to one of our team for bespoke creations. Why not take a look at our full jewellery collection?
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