You Won't Believe How Much Kate Middleton's Engagement Ring Is Really Worth

Bling's value has seen a tenfold increase from when it was purchased in 1981

By Alyssa Toomey May 09, 2014 7:16 PMTags
Prince William, Kate MiddletonStefan Postles/Getty Images

Like a fine wine, some engagement rings simply get better with age.

Such is the case for Kate Middleton's bling as her engagement ring from Prince William has seen a tenfold increase from what it was valued in 1981—the year it was bought by Prince Charles to give to then-fiancée Princess Diana.

Originally valued at £28,000 ($47,000), the 12-carat sapphire which is surrounded by 14 diamonds is now worth £300,000 ($500,000).

Impressive!

The inherited jewelry piece has increased in value due to its significance and is worth three times more than Queen Elizabeth II's engagement ring, which is reportedly valued at £100,000 ($168,480).

Middleton's sparkler tops the list of the world's 20 most famous engagement rings. The list was compiled by Vashi Dominguez, a jewelry expert on ITV's This Morning,

"It's Kate's quiet confidence to lead as a style icon that makes the ring so special," Dominguez said.

Coming in second place is the queen's bling, followed by Michelle Obama's ring from Barack, which is currently valued at $33,680 (a large increase from it's previous value of $12,636).

As for No. 11 on the list?

That belongs to none other than Beyoncé, whose bling from hubby Jay Z was worth nearly $4.5 million when the rapper proposed in 2007 and is now valued at over $9.7 million.

Hip-hop royalty, indeed!

Do you have a favorite celebrity sparkler? Tell us in the comments!

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