When Princess Kate landed in N.Y.C., she wore just the right mix of British and American labels (she’s a pro at keeping everyone happy when it comes to fashion politics), but her excellent accessorizing skills also stood out.
Carlo Allegri/Getty(3); Samir Hussein; Seth Wenig
“Her jewelry is getting a bit more varied and less safe.,” British jewelry designer Claudia Bradby tells PEOPLE, adding: “It feels like an area she’s happy to experiment with.”
Of course, those stunning emerald-and-diamond chandelier earrings and matching bracelet were a glittering highlight (another gift from her father-in-law Prince Charles perhaps?) and they added the perfect Wow factor for the tour finale. “She chose to go for full voltage jewelry — they were pretty stunning pieces, definitely worthy of royalty,” said Bradby who has worked with Kate in the past and attended the royal wedding in 2011.
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Her go-to brands Annoushka and Kiki McDonough all got an obligatory wearing but so too did bolder pieces like her Cartier Trinity necklace (the 18-karat design with three types of gold and pavé diamonds, a favorite since 2012, costs nearly $85,000) and some unusual crocodile stud earrings from the African silversmith Patrick Mavros whose animal-inspired pieces she has been collecting for several years (priced at a more reasonable $110).
Of course dressing a five-month pregnancy bump has it’s challenges, even for a princess. “She is a very discreet person and she wouldn’t want to wear anything that pointed out her pregnancy so I think she was using bold jewelry as a foil to her changing shape,” explains Bradby.
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Whatever the reason, we like it. The more sparkles the better. What do you think of Kate’s jewelry collection? Share your thoughts below.
–Monique Jessen
