We waited a long time for a Royal Wedding announcement and all of a sudden there are two! Princess Eugenie, the youngest daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York will marry her fiancé on October 12th 2018. The engagement ring is a stunning Padparadscha Sapphire surrounded by Diamonds and set into beautiful yellow gold.
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank announced their engagement on Monday 22nd January 2018. Mr Brooksbank bought the stone separately before the proposal, and the happy couple are thought to have then perfected the final design together. Princess Eugenie described the proposal as a "perfect moment" and that it came as a "complete surprise" to her. The couple will wed in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, which is the same venue as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding.
Padparadscha Sapphire is an extremely rare variety of the gem, named for the Padparadscha lotus flower which shares its colours. The finest Padparadscha Sapphires show hints of red, orange, yellow and pink, which is what gives it such a unique hue. The word padparadscha comes from the Sinhalese word 'padmaradschen' which is the name of the colour that describes the lotus flower itself. Very rarely, we have Padparadscha Sapphire available in our jewellery. Such is its scarcity and popularity that when pieces do come in they tend to sell almost immediately. Therefore, we've scoured our vault for designs that are similar in spirit to Princess Eugenie's ring and also contain one of Mother Nature's rarer treasures, and we've found a piece for every budget too.
Mawi Kunzite is famed for the intense but wonderfully delicate pinks it effortlessly radiates. Surrounded by White Topaz and set into sterling silver, this design drips with elegance and classic influence, with a high-end look that betrays just how affordable it is.
Shop this ring here.
When you think of purple gems, you might think Amethyst, Rubellite or even Tanzanite. But for a step towards a more regal purple, you can't go wrong with Mahenge Spinel from Tanzania. The accenting Zircon stones even give you the look of Diamond in this delightfully dainty design.
Shop this ring here.
Here's a real rarity. Deep, orange-cognac gemstones are hard to come by, and Colour Change Bastnaesite fits the requirements perfectly, though it is very hard to come by. We've only ever sourced a handful of gem-quality stones, and we always set them with Diamonds in gold. Most of our pieces are one-of-a-kind, so if you want a unique engagement ring, this could be the one.
Shop this ring here.
Pink-red Garnets like Rhodolite Garnet are often a mix of Pyrope Garnet and Almandine Garnet, but what makes this stone special is that it also contains Spessartite Garnet. This trio of stunning stand-alone stones combine to give a magenta-rose toned Garnet called Umbalite that bursts with colour and lustre.
Shop this ring here.
Are you still thinking about the Mahenge Spinel above? If so, allow us to present this brighter, deeper, even more regal coloured stone that looks simply timeless in yellow gold. Mahenge Purple Spinel is another of Tanzania's true rarities, a gem that will never stop delighting you when you catch sight of it.
Shop this ring here.
If you've got Royal Wedding fever and you're thinking of popping the question or renewing your love and commitment, we have a delightful selection of engagement ring ideas right here.
PHOTOS: REX FEATURES
