When Old Hollywood legend Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III of Monaco back in 1956, a new, unbelievably high standard for royal glamour was set.
Her $4 million engagement ring has easily gone down as one of the most expensive celebrity gems and iconic royal jewels in history – but the 10.4-carat Cartier jewel that we all know was, in fact, not the first ring presented to the Princess of Monaco when Prince Rainier proposed.
© GettyWhen the father of Prince Albert asked for Grace's hand in marriage back in December 1955, after meeting her earlier in the same year at the Cannes Film Festival, he actually presented a very different ring, though it's equally stunning.
Laura Taylor, engagement ring specialist at Lorel Diamonds, spoke to HELLO! about the piece, and why it deserves just as solid a place in royal jewel history as Grace's other, more famous, ring.
Grace Kelly's first engagement ring
The ring, also a Cartier band, is set with rubies and diamonds, has a special symbolic meaning according to the expert.
"The red and white stones reflected the colours of the Monaco flag," she notes, "and while it may seem unusual today, the style itself was very in keeping with European trends at the time."
© BettmannLaura continues: "Eternity bands were often given to mark engagements or important milestones, especially in royal and aristocratic circles. Depending on its condition, it could be worth over $100,000 today thanks to its history."
Though she was pictured with the eternity band in her engagement photos, Grace was seen wearing an altogether completely different ring by the time she made her final on-screen appearance in High Society.
Grace Kelly's second engagement ring
There are a lot of rumours about why the Princess of Monaco received a second ring: some believe the eternity ring was always intended as a placeholder.
© FilmPublicityArchive/United ArchOthers have claimed that her character in a film was required to have a huge engagement ring, so Prince Rainier bought her the real thing, instead of her using a fake, as was suggested by the costume department.
Regardless of the story behind it, the ring is a complete marvel. Laura adds: "It features a beautiful 10.47 carat emerald-cut diamond with tapered baguette side stones, the perfect design for Monaco's future princess."
© GettyOn why the ring is particularly special, the jewellery expert points out: "The emerald cut is a step cut, so it doesn't have the same kind of sparkle as a round or cushion cut, which also means any flaws in the diamond are easier to spot.
"That's why this type of cut is usually reserved for very high-quality stones with excellent clarity and colour, and Prince Rainier clearly chose well."
Though it was reportedly bought for $4 million at the time, Laura estimates that "with its size, quality, and history, it could easily be worth upwards of $30 million today".
