CollectionsSep 11, 2026
A Sapphire ‘Stardust’ Ring From Greenwich St. Jewelers The Latine-owned New York jeweler is marking two milestones this year: its 50th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
EditorsJan 25, 2018
See Princess Eugenie’s Padparadscha Engagement Ring
The princess’s colored gemstone ring continued a long-standing royal bridal trend.
Princess Eugenie sported a unique engagement ring featuring a padparadscha sapphire to announce her engagement.
Princess Eugenie of York, cousin to Princes William and Harry, is engaged, and she has a stunning and unusual ring to prove it.
Announced Monday on the British Royal Family’s website and social media, the 27-year-old Eugenie is set to wed her boyfriend of seven years, 31-year-old Jack Brooksbank, this fall.
The Royal Family released official engagement photos of the couple, which showed the princess sporting a ring featuring an oval-cut padparadscha sapphire center stone surrounded by a halo of round-brilliant white diamonds and two trillion-cut white diamonds on a yellow gold band.
Announced Monday on the British Royal Family’s website and social media, the 27-year-old Eugenie is set to wed her boyfriend of seven years, 31-year-old Jack Brooksbank, this fall.
The Royal Family released official engagement photos of the couple, which showed the princess sporting a ring featuring an oval-cut padparadscha sapphire center stone surrounded by a halo of round-brilliant white diamonds and two trillion-cut white diamonds on a yellow gold band.
Eugenie follows an interesting trend seen in the British Royal Family—the use of a colored gemstone surrounded by a halo of white diamonds.
Princess Diana chose a 12-carat oval sapphire engagement ring, surrounded by white diamonds and with a yellow gold shank, which, several years after Diana’s death, Prince William gave to Kate Middleton as her engagement ring.
Embed from Getty Images
Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth II’s only daughter, received sapphire and diamond engagement rings for both of her engagements, while Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowden—Queen Elizabeth II’s sister—had a ruby and diamond engagement ring
And Eugenie’s own mother, Sarah, Duchess of York, received a ruby engagement ring from the Duke of York when he proposed, also in a halo design and in yellow gold.
Embed from Getty Images
Indeed, only Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seem to have bucked the royal colored gemstone trend in favor of white diamonds.
Where Eugenie’s ring stands out is in its selection of gem, with hers being much more unique than her familial predecessors.
“These special sapphires are rare in their optimal color and typically demand a hefty premium over fancy pink or orange sapphires,” explained Niveet Nagpal, president of Omi Gems & Omi Privé. “They are the rarest of all for their specific color range of pink and orange.”
Gem aficionados agree that the publicity garnered by Eugenie’s engagement will increase interest in the rare stone.
Nagpal said: “Most people don’t know about colored gemstones and especially what a padparadscha sapphire is, so Princess Eugenie’s engagement will be a great start to getting the information out there and driving people to specifically ask for it.”
And Oscar Heyman’s Tom Heyman noted that royal and celebrity engagement rings that feature colored gemstones have correlated with consumer demand in the past.
“When a high-profile engagement occurs, we generally see an uptick in interest in similar ring styles because of the couple’s visibility,” he said. “After Kate Middleton got engaged to Prince William, we had a significant increase in sapphire entourage rings being sold as engagement rings. Many people previously unfamiliar with padparadscha sapphires now know that it is a beautiful choice it is for a ring, engagement or otherwise.”
Princess Eugenie is right on trend ahead of the Tucson gem shows, as dealers have predicted that fancy color sapphires will continue to rise in popularity.
Princess Eugenie is right on trend ahead of the Tucson gem shows, as dealers have predicted that fancy color sapphires will continue to rise in popularity.
Omi Privé’s ring features a 4.17 carat oval padparadscha and 0.75 carats of brilliant round diamonds, set in platinum with 18-karat rose gold details.
Omi Privé’s three-stone ring features a 7.18 carat oval padparadscha sapphire and 1.40 carts of half-moon white diamonds, set in platinum and 18-karat rose gold.
This Omi Privé style has a 2.02-carat oval padparadscha center stone, accented with 0.18 carats of epaulette-cut diamonds and 0.22 carats of brilliant round diamonds, set in platinum with 18-karat rose gold accents.
Omi Privé’s platinum and 18-karat rose gold ring with 8.18-carat no-heat oval padparadscha sapphire surrounded by 0.74 carats of brilliant round diamonds
Oscar Heyman’s platinum ring with 5.01-carat no-heat padparadscha sapphire and eight oval diamonds totaling 1.34 carats, and a platinum eternity band with 28 round diamonds totaling 1.08 carats
Pictured here is Oscar Heyman’s 2.59-carat padparadscha sapphire ring with two oval diamonds totaling 0.78 carats, set in platinum
More on Editors
The Latest
ColumnistsSep 11, 2026
Sherry Smith: Stop Waiting for December to Save Your ChristmasThe stores that have a great December are the ones that made good decisions in August, September, and October, Sherry Smith writes.
MajorsSep 11, 2026
The Wishing Place by JTV OpensThe jewelry retail broadcast network has sponsored a new space for Make-A-Wish East Tennessee on its campus in Knoxville.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
Events & AwardsSep 11, 2026
The Edge Awards Scholarships to 2 Young Jewelry ProfessionalsThe recipients were recognized at the 24 Karat Club of the Southeastern United States’ annual banquet.
Weekly QuizSep 10, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsSep 10, 2026
Lagos Founder Steven Lagos Steps Down as CEO Keith Rolfe, CFO and COO of Lagos, is now at the jewelry brand’s helm while Steven takes on the role of executive chairman.
CrimeSep 10, 2026
FBI Offers $50K Reward for ‘Most Wanted’ Fugitive in $1M Jewelry HeistAlberto Perez-Elias is one of four men charged in the armed robbery of a Cape Coral, Florida, jewelry store and remains at large.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
AuctionsSep 10, 2026
Massive Matched Pair of Paraíba Tourmalines Head to Sotheby’sThe “Kat Florence Luminas” will be offered together as one lot and could fetch up to $637,000.
SourcingSep 10, 2026
AGTA Announces 4 Newly Elected DirectorsFour directors were elected to the AGTA board and will serve three-year terms beginning in February.
AuctionsSep 10, 2026
Former Sotheby’s, Christie’s Exec Appointed CEO of Julien’s Auctions Ken Citron joins the celebrity memorabilia-focused auction house ahead of its first week-long series of events in Abu Dhabi.
FinancialsSep 09, 2026
Signet Jewelers to ‘Double Down’ on Blue Nile Amid Strong SalesThe jewelry retailer said it sees opportunity at higher price points, particularly in natural diamonds for bridal and fashion.
IndependentsSep 09, 2026
Sarah Leonard Fine Jewelers Closes After Nearly 80 YearsThe Los Angeles-based, family-owned jeweler was founded by Lenny and Sunny Friedman in 1946.
SourcingSep 09, 2026
Fura Gems Notes ‘Remarkable’ Interest in Larger Rubies at Latest SaleThe auction, held in Bangkok, was 96 percent sold by lot, with nearly 411,000 carats of Mozambiquan rubies sold.
MajorsSep 09, 2026
Stuller’s Latest Catalog Includes Its New Demi-Fine CollectionFine Jewelry 2027-2028 has more than 900 new styles, including silver, gold-filled, gold-plated sterling silver, and vermeil jewelry.
Policies & IssuesSep 09, 2026
8 Key Changes the FTC Made to the Jewelry Guides: A Refresher Learn more about the new terms for lab-grown diamonds and composite gemstones, and the major changes in store for precious metals jewelry.
IndependentsSep 08, 2026
Ricky Bromberg, Longtime President of Bromberg & Co., Dies at 67 Bromberg is remembered as a Southern gentleman who always wore a suit and tie and treated others with kindness.
TrendsSep 08, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: A Hot Take on September’s Birthstone With high durability and a wide range of colors to choose from, sapphires may be the ultimate birthstone, Gizzi claims.
ColumnistsSep 08, 2026
Peter Smith: Humor Is No Laughing MatterLaughter is often considered a distraction in the workplace, but it has benefits for both staff and management, Peter Smith writes.
MajorsSep 08, 2026
Former Tiffany & Co. Exec Joins Exemplar Luxury GroupGretchen Koback Pursel is the new chief people officer at the company formerly known as Saks Global.
IndependentsSep 04, 2026
Orloff Jewelers Will Soon Unveil a Bigger, Better LocationThe California jeweler is renovating its store in Fresno, with plans to show off the new space in December.
CollectionsSep 04, 2026
Chelsea Gabrielle Transforms Pilates Reformer Springs Into Ring A lifelong practitioner of Pilates, Gabrielle looked to the springs’ tension and suspension when creating this ring, our Piece of the Week.
Events & AwardsSep 04, 2026
JCK Industry Fund Accepting 2027 ApplicationsThe deadline to apply is Nov. 13.
AuctionsSep 04, 2026
Christie's Names New Global Head of WatchesThe auction house has promoted Remi Guillemin, formerly its head of watches for the Americas and EMEA, to the role.
Events & AwardsSep 03, 2026
Here Are the First Recipients of Nina Pugliese Memorial Scholarship Jewelers of America also revealed the recipients of the Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship and its own scholarship programs.
WatchesSep 03, 2026
Robert Pattinson Joins Jaeger-LeCoultre as Brand AmbassadorThe British actor, known for his roles in “Twilight” and “The Odyssey,” will star in a campaign for the Master Control Chronometre.
CollectionsSep 03, 2026
Sydney Evan Celebrates 25 Years With 4 New CollectionsThe “Confetti Disco,” “Champagne Cheers,” “Tuxedo,” and “Classic Punk” jewelry collections each capture a distinct spirit of celebration.
