Princess Kate often turns to sapphires, diamonds and pearls when it comes to jewelry, but on Tuesday, November 11, the Princess of Wales brought out a pair of ruby earrings she's only worn twice before while attending an Armistice Day event. The royal, who made her first solo appearance at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, England, wore a black Catherine Walker coat dress and a new Jane Taylor hat, pairing the outfit with sparkling ruby and diamond drop earrings.
"The classic drop design features a vivid ruby at the center, encircled by a delicate halo of diamonds, with a single diamond at the top adding to their timeless elegance," jewelry expert Maxwell Stone of Steven Stone Jewelers tells Marie Claire.
The style is likely a custom piece, with rubies representing strength, courage and leadership—a fitting piece for an event honoring military personnel. As Nilesh Rakholia, jewelry expert and founder of Abelini, tells Marie Claire, "Rubies have long been associated with love, protection and strength, and their deep red hue naturally aligns with the color of the poppy. Choosing rubies for such a solemn national moment feels deeply intentional, paying tribute not only to the act of remembrance but also to the emotional resonance of the day."
"These earrings also carry a personal touch." Rakholia notes. "Rubies are the birthstone of Prince George, and incorporating her children’s birthstones has become a subtle signature in her jewelry choices—a way of keeping them close during significant public moments."
The earrings are of mysterious provenance and were first worn by the Princess of Wales in May, when she attended commemorations for the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Since then, she's worn them one other time, during Donald and Melania Trump's state visit to the U.K. in September.
"Kate’s earrings are strikingly similar in design to a pair owned by Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, which feature three times as many rubies and are worth $300,000," Stone tells Marie Claire. "Based on this comparison, I'd estimate Kate's to be worth around $100,000."
Rakholia agress, noting, "If the stones are of Burmese or Mozambique origin and of top-grade clarity, a pair like this could easily fall into the £80,000 to £120,000 range," which is roughly $105,000 to $158,000 USD.
