RE-CREATING ROYAL STYLE: A CUSTOM RING INSPIRED BY PRINCESS EUGENIE

Some custom projects start with a clear, high-res vision. Others, start with a few blurry paparazzi photos and a lot of detective work. This one definitely fell into the second category.

My client fell in love with Princess Eugenie’s engagement ring, a romantic, vintage-style cluster, but she’d only caught a quick glimpse of it when the engagement was announced. Now, years later, she was ready to bring that design to life, which meant the first step was tracking down reference photos.

We scoured the internet for photos of the ring. From what we could tell, it featured an oval Padparadscha sapphire surrounded by brilliant pear cut and round diamonds in a floral, antique-style setting. The only problem? The ring was only visible at royal events and from a distance, making it nearly impossible to see the finer details.

But we love a design challenge around here . . .

SETTING DETAILS

We found the engagement announcement photo and zoomed in. One thing that I noticed right off, was that the stones appeared to be set in an old-world, molten-gold or “puddled” setting style, often seen in Georgian and early Victorian jewelry. It was certainly full of antique charm, but wasn’t exactly built to withstand daily wear by modern standards. And let’s face it, most of us aren’t ladies of leisure these days. The trick was going to be keeping that wonderful handcrafted feel, but reimagining the design with modern structure and durability so it could be worn and enjoyed every day.

One of the only close-up photos available of Princess Eugenie's unique engagement ring. It's grainy, but just enough detail to spark the design challenge.

I spied a few subtle, but important, details when I zoomed in on a fuzzy paparazzi photo.  Princess Eugenie's ring wasn't a typical cluster, it had an elegant curve flowing away from the center stone, and there was space between each accent diamond creating a soft petal-like effect.  

Another reference of the royal original, showcasing that distinctive curved halo framing the center stone.

DESIGN PROCESS

I started with informal sketches to help the customer visualize the design, then moved on to CAD work, focusing on getting the stone sizes and proportions just right. I knew the final piece would be entirely handcrafted, but the CAD helped me work out the technical details, the number of diamonds, their sizes, and making sure everything would frame her sapphire beautifully.

Initial design sketch of the ring. Two of the side stones were later changed to pears to better match the royal original.

Early CAD rendering helped bring the proportions and layout into focus, setting the foundation for the custom re-creation.

After finalizing the design, I hand-carved the wax model to bring those subtle curves and vintage details to life, but with the structure and durability to last. At this stage, the wax looks a little beefier than the finished ring to allow for precise grinding and polishing after casting.

Hand-carved wax model showing stone placement and structure, an essential step to refine the vintage-inspired design and setting.

From the side, the sculpted curves start to take shape, and you can see how the stones will be set at a slight angle to create that soft, floral effect.

Once the design was finalized, it was re-created as separate components for casting in different metals. The two-tone construction added complexity, but once assembled, the gold elements would blend seamlessly for a rich, layered look.

Wax components ready for casting, yellow gold for the center crown, white gold for the diamond halo, and yellow gold for the band.

THE FINISHED RING

The end result was a custom ring that captured all the romance and heirloom character of the royal original, but made entirely by hand, and completely unique to my client.

The finished ring: a modern heirloom capturing the romantic silhouette and vintage charm of the royal inspiration but with a vibrant natural Blue Sapphire.

Side view of the finished Sapphire cluster ring, showcasing the two-tone design with yellow gold prongs and shank, white gold gallery, and shimmering diamond halo.

A peek underneath, the finished ring features a handcrafted white gold gallery, bringing light to the center stone and showcasing the delicate openwork details.

The finished blue sapphire and diamond cluster ring, shown on the hand, a modern heirloom inspired by Princess Eugenie’s vintage engagement ring. 

I love projects like this, where inspiration meets craftsmanship, and a little mystery becomes something timeless.

Thinking about your own custom design?
Whether it's a blurry photo, a family heirloom, or an idea still taking shape, I’d love to help you bring it to life.