Diamonds, Sapphires and Emeralds, Oh My! Princess Diana’s Most Iconic Jewels

One of the most recognizable pieces in Diana’s collection, well, wasn’t actually in Diana’s collection. The Spencer tiara belonged to her father, Earl Spencer (now her brother), which is why it was a fitting topper for her 1981 wedding to Prince Charles. Though it belonged to her father, Diana continued to wear the tiara on several occasions. It’s so associated with Diana, that it has not been worn publicly since her death.

Also called the Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot tiara, this pearl and diamond tiara was something of a Diana signature. Before Diana’s wedding, it was rumored that this would be the sparkler she’d wear on the big day, as the Queen loaned it to her as a wedding gift. And after her divorce from Prince Charles, it went back into the Queen’s vault — until now. It’s been embraced by the next generation, as Princess Kate has worn it on multiple occasions since her marriage.

This sapphire brooch was a wedding present to Diana from the Queen Mother. (Sure beats a blender!) Very early on in her marriage, Diana wore the gem as a brooch, just as her grandmother-in-law did, but soon after, she put her own spin on it. She fashioned it into a necklace, held together by multiple strands of pearls. Diana continued to wear the necklace after her divorce.

Perhaps Diana’s most iconic jewel was her engagement ring — which now graces the hand of Princess Kate. The 12-carat sapphire is surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds and set in 18-carat white gold. Unlike previous royal brides, Diana’s ring was not custom made, but rather from the jeweler Garrard’s catalog. At the time of his engagement, Prince William said he chose to give Kate his mother’s ring as a way to have her included in the special day.

For one of her last public appearances before her death, Diana attended a performance of Swan Lake at the Royal Albert Hall in London. She wore this diamond and pearl necklace, which earned it the nickname of the “Swan Lake” necklace. It was part of a set, but at the time of the engagement, the earrings weren’t yet finished. Diana died before they were completed and never got to see the final product. Unlike many of her gems, this one didn’t belong to the royal family, and was sold at auction after her death. If you love the set, it’s currently up for auction again — for the cool price of $12 million.

Created by Queen Mary to find a purpose for her wealth of the famed Cambridge emeralds, this diamond and emerald choker was frequently worn by Diana during her marriage. It belongs to the Queen, who seldom wore it, which is why she loaned it to her daughter-in-law. Diana was a big fan of the choker, and she was creative with how she wore it, too: Both around her neck and as a headband.

Diana’s jewelry collection was never lacking in sapphires. This set was a wedding gift from Crown Prince Fahd of Saudi Arabia, and originally included a watch, earrings, a bracelet, a ring and the most impressive piece, a diamond necklace with a sapphire and diamond pendant.

From the Saudi suite, Diana created a choker from the watch and the ring, which she also wore as a headband.

The sapphire wasn’t Diana’s only impressive ring: She famously wore this emerald cut Aquamarine stunner to auction of her own clothes at Christie’s in 1997. The jewel is part of a set — the other piece is an aquamarine bracelet, where it’s connected by five strands of pearls. She wore both to a gala dinner in Australia in 1996.

Diana wore pearls constantly, whether it was a simple strand or a multi-layered choker. This look combined two of her pearl pieces. She doubled up on the pearls, with a pearl drop necklace and an eight-layered choker.

Another one of Diana's pearl pieces, this 11-strand choker is held together with diamond and ruby columns throughout. She wore this necklace on a number of occasions, including multiple film premieres.