Ten years ago to this day, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall's engagement was announced to the world. It was the first time that members of the public were given a glimpse of Camilla's beautiful engagement ring, which, some jewellers claim, has provided inspiration for other rings of recent times.
Looking closely at Camilla's rock, it is easy to draw comparisons between her ring and an even more famous one – the sparkler belonging to Angelina Jolie. Both pieces of jewellery were created with a special person in mind.
© Photo: Getty ImagesA closer look at the Duchess of Cornwall's engagement ring
Camilla's ring was in fact a royal heirloom that belonged to the late Queen Mother – the perfect accessory for Charles to present to his future royal wife.
Designed in the 1920s, the stunner features a square-cut central diamond flanked by six diamond baguettes in a platinum setting. "Tasteful and timeless, the ring is one of the least known but most influential pieces of jewellery in the world," said Steve Bennett, founder and CEO of The Genuine Gemstone Company.
While Camilla may not have directly inspired Angelina's engagement ring, similarities can certainly be noted between her piece of jewellery – worth approximately £100,000 – and the one given to Angelina in 2012, seven years later.
Angelina's husband Brad Pitt spent a year working with jeweller Robert Procop to create the bespoke, table-cut diamond ring. The rock – estimated to be worth over £300,000 – featured a centre stone of seven carats surrounded by ribbed diamonds, set on a yellow gold band.
© Photo: Getty ImagesBrad Pitt took a year to create Angelina Jolie's ring
Camilla's engagement to Charles and the debut of her ring marked the beginning of her transformation to a jewellery style icon, said expert Steve.
"Whether or not the public are conscious of it, ever since Camilla first flashed her engagement ring ten years ago jewellers have taken note of her jewellery choices and this is reflected in the collections that appear each season," he said. "Despite having been created nearly a century ago, that her engagement ring is spurring replicas today demonstrates how timeless this piece is."
Steve added: "In the ten years since her engagement we have seen Camilla emerge as something of an icon. She treads the line between quiet taste and obvious glamour faultlessly, and she always chooses pieces that are entirely appropriate for her position – regal without being flamboyant, classic without seeming dated – and her engagement ring symbolises this perfectly."
© Photo: Getty ImagesDuchess Kate may be known for her high-street dresses, but she carries off phenomenal jewels with aplomb, said jeweller Steve Bennett
As a long-standing member of the British royal family, Camilla is in a good position to lend some tips to her stepdaughter-in-law the Duchess of Cambridge.
Speaking about Duchess Kate's style, Steve added: "Kate is renowned for her paired-back style, hence her reputation as the 'high street princess'. However, the longer she spends in the royal family, the bolder she is becoming with her jewellery and I think that Camilla's influence can definitely be seen playing a role – they are both Queens-in-waiting after all.
"Camilla has always carefully matched her extravagant jewellery with tasteful, refined clothing and this is certainly something that Kate has copied. In the past year Kate has started wearing some phenomenal jewels and has carried them off with aplomb, so I think we can expect to see more of this in the coming months and years."
