Pippa Matthews
Pippa Matthews

Pippa Middleton's engagement ring has drawn renewed attention for its distinctive Art Deco design and an unexpected link to British royal jewelry history, nearly a decade after James Matthews proposed to the younger sister of Catherine, Princess of Wales.

Matthews proposed to Middleton in 2016 during a trip to England's Lake District, according to People. The couple's romance had begun in 2012 before the pair briefly separated, then rekindled their relationship in 2015. They married in May 2017 at St. Mark's Church in Englefield Green, England, and have since had three children together, though the family has largely kept their personal life out of the public eye.

The ring itself centers on a 3-carat Asscher-cut diamond surrounded by an octagonal halo of channel-set diamonds, a design that draws on the geometric aesthetic popular during the Art Deco period of the 1920s while incorporating more modern elements. It is estimated to be worth roughly 263,000 dollars, based on its size and clarity.

Jeweler Annoushka Ducas described the ring's enduring appeal to People shortly after the couple's engagement was announced in 2016. "It's a very timeless piece that will look as good now as it will in 50 years time," Ducas said. Guy Burton, director of the London jewelry firm Hancocks & Co., separately highlighted how the ring's surrounding diamonds complement its central stone, saying, "This diamond halo accentuates the large cut corners of the Asscher and the design has really tried to emphasize those."

The ring's Asscher cut also connects it, indirectly, to a notable piece of royal jewelry history. The cut takes its name from Joseph Asscher, founder of the Royal Asscher Diamond Company, a Dutch jeweler who worked with European royalty throughout the 20th century. Asscher was responsible for cutting the Cullinan III and IV diamonds, which were later set into one of Queen Elizabeth II's most valuable brooches, cut from what remains the largest diamond ever discovered.

Neither Middleton nor Matthews has publicly confirmed who designed or supplied the ring, though it is widely believed to have come from Robinson Pelham, a jewelry house known for bespoke, vintage-inspired pieces and a longtime favorite of Middleton's. She wore Robinson Pelham earrings and a matching tiara from the label on her wedding day, paired with a Giles Deacon gown.

Asscher-cut diamonds are also prized for their exceptional clarity, a quality tied directly to the structure of the cut itself. Because the style incorporates fewer facets than many other diamond cuts, it becomes significantly harder to disguise internal flaws, meaning only diamonds of especially high quality can be cut this way without visible imperfections. Jeweler David Christopher Allen of the retailer 77 Diamonds explained the pricing implications to People following news of Middleton's engagement. "It is an Asscher-cut diamond, and in order to get a beautiful cut the diamond needs to be of top clarity," Allen said. "If it is a flawless stone then it could be [worth] 200,000 pounds," or roughly 263,000 dollars.

That valuation places Middleton's ring below her sister's far more famous engagement ring, the 12-carat sapphire and diamond piece that was first worn by Princess Diana and later given to Catherine by Prince William, which carries an estimated value of roughly 517,000 dollars due largely to its royal provenance and larger size.

In a rare interview given to the Daily Mail a few months after her engagement, Middleton reflected on her relationship with Matthews, a hedge fund manager. "I think James and I have the same spirit," she said. "We are both competitive. We have had many adventures together. We have a lot in common and that helps. I don't think it would work with a couch potato."

For her wedding day, Middleton chose to pair her engagement ring with a simple, plain gold wedding band rather than a more elaborate stacked design. She has continued wearing both pieces together on public occasions in the years since, including at the 2023 coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla and during the 2024 "Together at Christmas" carol service, offering the public occasional glimpses of one of her most enduring style signatures nearly a decade after the couple first said "I do."

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